CylinderChile
Learn traffic rules with clear explanations and visual examples in our illustrated book, designed to make studying simple and engaging.
155. Cylinder
A cylinder is a chamber inside a reciprocating internal-combustion engine in which a piston moves up and down. Air or an air-fuel mixture is compressed inside the cylinder, and combustion produces pressure that pushes the piston and helps generate mechanical power.
Most car engines have several cylinders arranged in configurations such as inline, V-shaped or horizontally opposed layouts. The combined swept volume of all cylinders is known as the engine displacement or cylinder capacity.
Wikimedia.org • Nick johns • CC0
What happens inside an engine cylinder?
A piston moves inside the cylinder while the engine draws in air or an air-fuel mixture, compresses it and uses combustion to create pressure. This pressure acts on the piston and contributes to turning the crankshaft.
How many cylinders does a car engine have?
The number varies by engine design. Common passenger-car engines can have three, four, six or more cylinders, while some engines use different configurations according to their size and performance requirements.
What is cylinder capacity?
Cylinder capacity or engine displacement is the total swept volume of the engine's cylinders. It is commonly expressed in cubic centimetres (cm³) or litres.

Traffic rules
Chile