Diesel Engine — Questions and answers

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What was the main problem engineers wanted to fix with existing internal combustion engines like the Otto cycle?

Choices

  1. They made engines too quiet.
  2. They were too small for most jobs.
  3. They needed an external spark to ignite fuel and weren't as efficient as possible. ✓
  4. They used too many different kinds of fuel.

Answer: They needed an external spark to ignite fuel and weren't as efficient as possible.

From page 2

How did Rudolf Diesel plan for his engine's fuel to ignite?

Choices

  1. By using a tiny flame inside the engine.
  2. By spinning the fuel very fast.
  3. By making the air inside the cylinder very hot through compression. ✓
  4. By mixing the fuel with water.

Answer: By making the air inside the cylinder very hot through compression.

From page 3

What often happened to Diesel's first engine prototypes?

Choices

  1. They worked perfectly on the first try.
  2. They often had violent explosions and broke apart. ✓
  3. They were too quiet and didn't make enough noise.
  4. They quickly ran out of fuel after a few minutes.

Answer: They often had violent explosions and broke apart.

From page 4

What important system did Rudolf Diesel create to make his engine work correctly?

Choices

  1. A system to play music inside the engine.
  2. A sophisticated fuel injection system to spray fuel precisely. ✓
  3. A way to make the engine glow in the dark.
  4. A method to make the engine float in water.

Answer: A sophisticated fuel injection system to spray fuel precisely.

From page 5

When did Diesel's first successful engine prototype start working?

Choices

  1. January 1st, 1900
  2. February 17th, 1897 ✓
  3. March 20th, 1850
  4. April 4th, 1912

Answer: February 17th, 1897

From page 6

What makes the Diesel engine different from gasoline engines in how it ignites fuel?

Choices

  1. Diesel engines use a giant match.
  2. Diesel engines inject fuel directly into hot, compressed air without a spark. ✓
  3. Diesel engines rely on a tiny battery to start.
  4. Diesel engines mix fuel and air outside the engine.

Answer: Diesel engines inject fuel directly into hot, compressed air without a spark.

From page 7

Where did the Diesel engine first become important for powering things?

Choices

  1. In toys and games.
  2. As a stationary power source for factories and later for ships. ✓
  3. In hot air balloons and airplanes.
  4. For small household appliances.

Answer: As a stationary power source for factories and later for ships.

From page 8

What types of transportation did the Diesel engine help to change?

Choices

  1. Only bicycles and skateboards.
  2. Only flying machines and spaceships.
  3. Locomotives (trains), heavy trucks, and submarines. ✓
  4. Horse-drawn carriages and rowboats.

Answer: Locomotives (trains), heavy trucks, and submarines.

From page 9

What is one important way Diesel engines help the world today?

Choices

  1. They are used to power small robots for cleaning.
  2. They power container ships, heavy machinery for building, and farm equipment. ✓
  3. They make all our televisions and computers work.
  4. They are only used in very small cars now.

Answer: They power container ships, heavy machinery for building, and farm equipment.

From page 10