Science & Technology Time!

Graham and Parks School
"Okay"-Room 201

April 17, 2003
by 
Ali Taalebinezhaad, PhD

How a Car Works?

Today, we will learn about the main systems in a typical car. We will take some visual clues from
a Lego "Technic" car which is assembled from about 400 pieces.!
Automobile is a huge and complex system that we cannot entirely cover in this short session.
However, we will try to briefly  describe the following sub-systems:

Chassis:  Holds different parts of a car together.

Engine:     Where chemical reaction between fuel (gas) and air results in power generation.

Gear System: Transfers the power from the engine to the wheels.

Wheels: rotatate on the road and move the car along.

Steering System: Allows the driver to direct the car to the direction he/she wants it to go.

Suspension System:   Springs and Dampers (shock absorbers) give a smooth ride when you pass over
                                                      puddles or bumps on the road.

Body: Hides away the internal parts and also isolates the passengers from outside environment.

Brake System: Allows the driver to slow down or stop the car.

Electrical System:  Battery, generator, wires, lights, ....

If you want to learn more about cars, check out this site:
     http://auto.howstuffworks.com
You can find very nice and dynamic simulations of car parts and sub-systems.


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