Eli5:how does petrol engines differ from diesel engine?if so then what type of engine is used in rockets?
In: Technology
Gasoline/petrol is ignited using a spark plug. A small electrical spark is generated in each cylinder during every cycle. Fuel goes boom, engine turns.
Diesel fuel is ignited by pressure. The cylinder compresses it hard enough that the temperature increases very quickly, fuel goes boom, engine turns. Some diesels use a glow plug, which helps the process happen a little more quickly and efficiently. Diesel is more efficient, as it contains more potential energy by volume than gasoline. This is why it is normally applied in huge engines where power to weight ratios are most important, like locomotives and semi trucks.
Rocket engines use different fuels. Liquid oxygen is one. The mechanism is very different though. In a rocket, the fuel is ignited, which makes it expand violently. The expanding gas goes out the bottom of the rocket, which pushes the rocket up.
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