The Four Strokes

The four strokes of an internal combustion engine describe its cycle of operation: intake, compression, power, and exhaust. During intake, a mixture of air and fuel enters the cylinder. Compression then squeezes this mixture, making it highly combustible. The spark plug ignites the compressed fuel, causing an explosion that forces the piston down—this is the power stroke, which generates engine movement. Finally, the exhaust stroke pushes out the burnt gases, clearing the way for the next intake. This cycle repeats rapidly, converting fuel into mechanical energy to power vehicles efficiently.