Spike

Updated: 05/01/2023 by Computer Hope

Spike may refer to any of the following:

Electrical charge warning symbol.

1. A spike is an unexpected increase in the amplitude of a signal lasting one or two nanoseconds; anything longer is considered a surge. If not properly protected, a power spike can cause damage to any electrical component, including those in a computer.

Hardware devices called surge protectors are designed to help keep surges and spikes from damaging electrical equipment plugged into them. All electrical devices, including your computer, should have a surge protector to help prevent them from being damaged from an electrical surge.

Microsoft Word

2. With Microsoft Word, Spike is a feature (like the clipboard) that allows multiple items to be copied and then pasted all at once.

How to use Spike in Microsoft Word

Below are the steps to use Spike to copy multiple items from one Word document to another.

  1. Select the text or graphic you want to copy.
  2. Press Ctrl+F3 if using Microsoft Windows or Command+F3 on a Mac to copy the selected item to Spike.
  3. Repeat steps one and two for each item you want to copy.
  4. Once copying is done, move the mouse cursor to where you want to place Spike's contents. Then, press Ctrl+Shift+F3 if using Windows or Command+Shift+F3 on a Mac to paste everything stored in Spike.

Component, Lag spike, Power terms, Spike guard, Surge, Voltage drop