An engine makes a car run by converting fuel into powerful mechanical energy that turns the wheels.
Specifically, most cars use an internal combustion engine. As highlighted in the reference, this type of engine is made up of crucial components, including cylinders, pistons, fuel injectors, and spark plugs.
The Process: Turning Fuel into Power
Inside the engine's cylinders, these parts work together in a continuous cycle:
- Fuel Delivery: Fuel injectors spray a precise amount of fuel into the cylinder.
- Combustion: The spark plug creates an electrical spark, igniting the fuel-air mixture.
- Energy Creation: The resulting controlled explosion pushes the piston down inside the cylinder. This is the power stroke.
- Exhaust Release: The engine then lets the exhaust gas created by the burning fuel out of the cylinders.
By repeating this process very rapidly in multiple cylinders, the engine creates significant energy. This energy is then transferred through the car's transmission and drivetrain to turn the wheels, moving the vehicle forward.
In essence, the engine takes the chemical energy stored in the fuel and transforms it into the mechanical energy needed to power the car's movement.
