Theinternalcombustionengine(ICE)isaheatenginethatconvertschemicalenergyfromfuelintomechanicalenergythroughcombustioninsideacombustionchamber.Itiswidelyusedinautomobiles,motorcycles,ships,aircraft,andpowergenerators.Theengineoperatesbyignitingafuel-airmixture(suchasgasoline,diesel,ornaturalgas)insideacylinder,causingrapidexpansionofgasesthatdriveapiston.Thismotionisconvertedintorotationalenergyviaacrankshaft,whichpowersthevehicleormachinery.Keycomponentsincludethecylinder,piston,valves,sparkplug(ingasolineengines),fuelinjector,andcrankshaft.ICEscanbeclassifiedintotwomaintypes:spark-ignition(gasoline)enginesandcompression-ignition(diesel)engines.Despitetheirefficiencyandpower,internalcombustionenginesproduceemissions,contributingtoairpollutionandclimatechange.Advancesintechnology,suchashybridsystemsandalternativefuels,aimtoreducetheirenvironmentalimpactwhilemaintainingperformance.ICEshavebeenthedominantpowersourceforoveracentury,thoughelectricvehicles(EVs)areincreasinglychallengingtheirdominanceintransportation.
