what does my knock sensor do?

i would just like to know what the knock sensor does on my altima. Any help is appreciated. thanks

From what i gather, it is used in conjunction with other sensors to keep your engine running at optimum performance. The main responsibility being to detect detonation and adjust the timing of the ignition system accordingly. On four cylinder models there may only be one, but on six cylinder engine, as with mine, there is 2. One for each bank of cylinders.

If there is detonation present, it may be cuased from such conditions as hot spots created by excessive carbon buildup within the cumbustion chambers, poor fuel, etc. You may not even notice anything in term of how the car runs, but if you were to go to the strip you would see your car would most lickelyt be slower then if it were operating normally. If it is severe, you may hear the classic pinging sound as you accelerate.

where is the knock sensor on my 2000? thanks