Why is the internal combustion engine important?

The invention and development of the internal engine in the nineteenth century has had a profound impact on human life. The internal combustion engine offers a relatively small, lightweight source for the amount of power it produces. Harnessing that power has made possible practical machines ranging from the smallest model airplane to the largest truck. is often generated by internal combustion engines. Lawnmowers, chainsaws, and generators also may use internal combustion engines. An important device based on the internal combustion engine is the .

In all internal combustion engines, however, the basic principles remain the same. Fuel is burned inside a chamber, usually a cylinder. The created by the combustion, or burning, of the fuel is used to propel a device, usually a piston, through the chamber. By attaching the piston to a shaft outside of the chamber, the movement and of the piston can be converted to other movements.

Additional Topics

Combustion is the burning of fuel. When fuel is burned it gives off energy, in the form of heat, which creates the expansion of gas. This expansion can be rapid and powerful. The force and movement of the expansion of gas can be used to push an object. Shaking a can of soda is a way to see what happens when gas expands. The shaking motion causes a reaction of carbon dioxide—the soda'…

Internal combustion engines generally employ reciprocating motion, although gas turbine, rocket, and rotary engines are examples of other types of internal combustion engines. Reciprocating internal combustion engines are the most common, however, and are found in most cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other engine-driven machines. The most basic components of the internal combustion engine are the c…

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