I’ve heard these words used interchangeably over the years, with engine being more prevalent. Is there any difference? Why is a small gas-driven device like a lawnmower commonly said to have a motor, while what is under the hood of a car is almost always referred to as an engine?
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From a purely physics standpoint, an engine is a mechanism that converts one form of energy to mechanical energy.
So, a Stirling engine takes a difference in temperature to produce motion. An internal combustion engine converts chemical potential energy into motion.
The term “motor” is often used to describe devices that convert electricity to motion.
In essence, a motor is just one kind of engine.
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