Car Engines and Fuels

Collected questions about internal combustion engines, alternative technologies and fuels that may be used in cars. MadSci's archives extend more than 10 years, so please note the date on answers pre-new Millenium and how things fit with today's technologies.

General Who invented cars? Why did more simple engines not impose themselves in the car industry? How do you calculate horsepower from acceleration rate? Which is more fuel efficient: driving with the window open OR the AC on? How can engines be modified to run on alternative fuels? What alternative fueled vehicles are available to consumers in the US? Internal Combustion Engines What is the chemical composition of unleaded gasoline? What would be the better fuel for an internal combustion engine? How does gas make a car go? Does premium gasoline really get better gas mileage? Does high humidity affect the performance of combustion engines? How does lead stop knocking in car engines? What happens when you put sugar in the gas tank of a car? What are the benefits of a V-shape combustion engine from a transverse one? Electric Cars Why not use electricity to directly power cars? How do you charge electric cars? Do we really need longer-life batteries for electric cars? Is the electric car a wise use of our energy resources? Hydrogen/Fuel-Cell cars What happens to the carbon in methanol when used in a fuel cell-powered car? Uses of hydrogen fuel cells Is it possible to run an engine on water? Why can't we have hydrogen-fueled cars?

Steam-powered cars Why is steam being ignored for alternative fuel vehicles? Use a laser to flash heat water to steam power a car? How big of a piston, and how hot a spark to run a car on steam? Can a steam engine run on hydrogen? Alternative Fuels/Fuel Additives How does nitrous oxide work in a car to make it go faster? Safe non-polluting power sources for locomotion. What are the benefits of adding cetane booster in diesel Would fuel create the same BTU in an internal combustion engine as a furnace? Propane kits in hydrogen powered cars? Misc.. Microwave powered cars?