Brake-specific fuel consumption

Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is like how much food you need to eat to run around for a certain distance. When a car engine burns fuel, it turns the fuel into energy that makes the car go. But not all the energy from the fuel is used to move the car. Some of the energy is lost as heat or noise.

BSFC is a way to measure how efficient an engine is at using fuel to move the car. It's like measuring how many steps you take per bite of food. The lower the BSFC number, the more efficient the engine is at using fuel. A car with a low BSFC number can go farther on each tank of gas than a car with a high BSFC number.

Mechanics and engineers measure BSFC by running tests on engines to see how much fuel is burned and how much power is produced. They measure the power output in units called horsepower, and the amount of fuel burned in units called pounds or gallons.

There are different types of BSFC depending on the type of engine and how it's used. For example, a diesel engine might have a lower BSFC than a gasoline engine because diesel burns more efficiently. But a turbocharged engine might have a higher BSFC because it needs more fuel to produce the extra power.

In general, a lower BSFC number is better because it means the engine is using less fuel to produce the same amount of power. This is good for the environment because it means less pollution and fewer greenhouse gases. It's also good for your wallet because it means you'll spend less money on gas.