Rocket spins a toy car wheel with his finger. "Who spins a real wheel?"
Raven asks, "What do you notice when a car starts?"
"It hums, and then it rolls," Rocket says.
Nova glows under the hood. "Would you like a hint? Energy is stored somewhere."
A car needs energy to move.
A fuel car stores energy in its fuel.
An electric car stores energy in its battery.
The engine or motor turns that energy into turning.
The turning goes to the wheels, and the car rolls.
Fuel flows from the tank to the engine.
Inside, fuel mixes with air.
A spark lights it.
The burning fuel pushes parts called pistons up and down.
The pistons turn a crankshaft.
A part called the transmission sends the turning to the wheels.
A big battery stores electricity.
The battery powers an electric motor.
The motor turns.
The transmission sends the turning to the wheels.
| Kind of car | Energy is stored in | What makes the turning |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel car | Fuel in a tank | An engine |
| Electric car | A big battery | An electric motor |
| Sentence | True or false? |
|---|---|
| A spark lights the fuel in an engine. | ? |
| Pistons turn the crankshaft. | ? |
| An electric car burns fuel to move. | ? |
| The turning goes to the wheels through the transmission. | ? |
You followed energy from a tank to the wheels. Wow!
Tomorrow, we look closely at steering and brakes.