A combustion engine ignites a compressed mixture of fuel and air (containing oxygen O2),
in a circular cylinder. The resulting explosion, i.e., expansion of gas, forces the piston down (which ultimately
turns the automobile's wheels via the transmission). A vehicle's engine displacement (or size) is found by multiplying
the number of cylinders times the volume of one of the cylinders (a.k.a. piston displacement). The
diameter of a cylinder is called the "bore" while the height is the length of the "stroke" (as shown
in the illustration at right). Thus, the cylinder's volume is the product of the area of the piston head and its stroke
(distance moved by the piston's vertical motion).
- A Cheverolet Monte Carlo made in the mid-1970's has a V-8 engine whose
bore × stroke is 4.00" × 3.48". Find
the car's engine size (displacement) measured in cubic inches.
- What would the engine size be measured in Liters?
|