Eli5: Why do automobiles operate with diesel or petrol but not with water?
In: Physics
Both diesel and petrol are combustible, which means that as a liquid they burn and as a gas they explode.
Car engines are called internal combustion engines (think explosion inside engine) because they take a fuel, like petrol, and make it to explode inside a small space.
When the fuel explodes it releases energy that moves parts of the engine and makes the wheels of the car turn.
Water isn’t combustible. It doesn’t burn or explode when it touches fire, so it won’t release energy, and won’t move the parts of the engine that turns the wheels.
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