Stroke (engine)
Have you ever seen a race car or a big truck that has a really big engine and makes a lot of noise? Well, inside that engine there are parts that work together to create power and make sure the car or truck can move. One of the important parts is called a “piston”.
When the car or truck is driving, the piston goes up and down inside the engine. Each time it goes up and down, it’s called a “stroke”. There are four strokes that make up one complete cycle or “event” happening inside the engine.
First is the “intake stroke”: the piston moves down to let air and fuel into the engine. This is like filling up a gas tank - the engine needs fuel to work.
Then comes the “compression stroke”: the piston goes up to squeeze the air and fuel in the engine. Think of squishing a toy ball - this helps mix the fuel and air together to make it more powerful.
Next is the “power stroke”: the fuel and air are ignited and the piston is pushed back down hard. This creates energy that moves the car or truck wheels.
Finally comes the “exhaust stroke”: the piston moves back up and pushes the “exhaust” gases (smoke and gas left over from the fuel burning) out of the engine. It’s like blowing out candles on a cake - we want to get rid of the old air and replace it with fresh air.
These strokes all happen very fast - in less than a second! The car or truck engine does this over and over again while you drive, creating power and making sure the car or truck moves forward. Sometimes, if there is a problem with the engine, it can cause something called a “stroke” - this is when one of the four strokes doesn’t work right. If this happens, the engine won’t work well or might stop working completely. It’s important to take care of any problems with an engine so it can work properly!
When the car or truck is driving, the piston goes up and down inside the engine. Each time it goes up and down, it’s called a “stroke”. There are four strokes that make up one complete cycle or “event” happening inside the engine.
First is the “intake stroke”: the piston moves down to let air and fuel into the engine. This is like filling up a gas tank - the engine needs fuel to work.
Then comes the “compression stroke”: the piston goes up to squeeze the air and fuel in the engine. Think of squishing a toy ball - this helps mix the fuel and air together to make it more powerful.
Next is the “power stroke”: the fuel and air are ignited and the piston is pushed back down hard. This creates energy that moves the car or truck wheels.
Finally comes the “exhaust stroke”: the piston moves back up and pushes the “exhaust” gases (smoke and gas left over from the fuel burning) out of the engine. It’s like blowing out candles on a cake - we want to get rid of the old air and replace it with fresh air.
These strokes all happen very fast - in less than a second! The car or truck engine does this over and over again while you drive, creating power and making sure the car or truck moves forward. Sometimes, if there is a problem with the engine, it can cause something called a “stroke” - this is when one of the four strokes doesn’t work right. If this happens, the engine won’t work well or might stop working completely. It’s important to take care of any problems with an engine so it can work properly!