Final answer:
The environment and power surges can negatively impact computing devices, causing system failure, communications disruption, and power outages. Solar storms and magnetic disturbances are particularly harmful, with historic examples like the 1989 Quebec blackout illustrating potential damage. Protective devices are used to mitigate high-frequency noise in power supply.
Step-by-step explanation:
Negative effects of the environment and power surges on computing devices include the risk of total system failure, loss of privacy, and added vulnerability due to technological dependence. Environmental events such as earthquakes or disasters like Japan's incident can cause significant malfunctions in technological systems. Furthermore, disturbances in Earth's magnetic field, such as those from solar storms and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), can disrupt communications and cause surges in power lines leading to equipment failure and power outages. For instance, a major solar storm in 1989 left parts of Montreal and Quebec in Canada without power for several hours. In a business context, the failing of devices can have dire impacts on customers and revenues. Protection against high-frequency noise in AC power, which can damage computers, can be achieved by using devices with large inductance or capacitance to filter out such frequencies.