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THE LITTLE WONDER ATLAS · AGES 6–12 WITH A GROWN-UP

Inside a gasoline engine

A simplified four-stroke engine turns fuel energy into a turning shaft.

No timer. No account. Learn at your pace.
Simplified learning picture, not to scale. Numbers match the explanations below. All meaning is available in words; colour is not required.

Follow the wonder

Choose a numbered step to highlight its place in the picture.

  1. A piston moves down while air and fuel enter the cylinder.

  2. The piston moves up and squeezes the mixture.

  3. A spark starts combustion. Expanding hot gases push the piston down and turn a crankshaft.

  4. The piston moves up and pushes exhaust gases out. The cycle repeats.

TRY ONE QUESTION · HINTS ARE WELCOME

What pushes the piston during the power stroke?

Take your time. You can read the map again.

Show me the answer

Expanding hot gases

Where shall we go next?

Inside an electric car →When water becomes steam →A simple electric circuit →
For grown-ups: sources and learning notes

Reviewed 28 September 2026. These are introductory explanations; the diagrams simplify real structures and processes.