Desoldering refers to which of the following?

• A. The removal of solder and components from a circuit board for trouble shooting, repair, replacement and salvage.
• B. The process of applying solder to joints.
• C. A cleaning step after soldering.
• D. A method to seal leaks in pipes.

Answer: (A)

Desoldering is the process of removing solder from joints and components on a circuit board so you can troubleshoot, repair, replace, or salvage the board. This is done with tools like desoldering braid (wick), a desoldering pump, or hot‑air equipment, often assisted by flux to help melt and lift the solder without damaging nearby parts. This differs from applying solder (soldering), which adds solder to joints, or from a cleaning step after soldering, which is just cleaning flux residues. Sealing leaks in pipes is unrelated to electronics. So the removal of solder and components for repair and salvage is the exact idea desoldering.