# ICE motion

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** toyota\
**Created:** [March 6, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437 "2020-03-06T16:52:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dee28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@Dee28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dee28)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437/1 "2020-03-06T16:52:30Z")

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Ray,  
We all know stepping on the gas makes a car go faster, but mechanically, how does it go faster? What makes it do so?  
Interesting, no?  
Dee

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**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437/2 "2020-03-06T18:24:21Z")

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> **[How Car Engines Work](https://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine1.htm)**
>
> Internal combustion converts gasoline into motion. Learn about the process of internal combustion and how it takes place inside your car engine.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437/3 "2020-03-07T03:30:42Z")

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From a basic physics point of view, extra air is sucked into the engine when you step on the gas. It chemically combines with the gasoline, initiated by a spark from the eponymous spark plug. That chemical reaction produces heat energy. Most of that heat energy comes from the energy of the electrons orbiting the hydrogen atoms in the gasoline molecules. The electrons got that energy originally as a result of nuclear fusion events that happen on the sun, which grew the plants, that eventually became gasoline . Then the heat energy is mechanically translated via pistons, shafts, and gears into a rotational force the propels the wheels and makes the car go faster.

You could say when you step on the gas you are giving the car a little nuclear-power boost.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ice-motion/160437/4 "2020-03-07T03:35:47Z")

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As far as I know, Ray Magliozzi is not a member of this forum. He could be masquerading incognito as one of our regulars, but I sincerely doubt it.