Safekipedia

Piston

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

An animated diagram showing how a piston and rod move inside an engine.

A piston is a fun and important part in many machines. It moves back and forth inside a tube called a cylinder. This movement helps machines like cars go!

In car engines, the piston takes the push from hot gases and sends it to the crankshaft through a connecting rod. This makes the engine run smoothly. In pumps, the piston uses force from the crankshaft to push fluid out of the cylinder.

Pistons also help by covering and uncovering small openings. This helps control how the machine works. Pistons are made tight inside the cylinder by special rings called piston rings. These rings keep everything sealed and working well.

Pistons can be made from strong, light aluminium alloys. Some pistons are longer and help support forces, while others are very light and thin for fast racing engines.

Pistons are used in many places, from cars to air cannons. They are important for making machines move and work properly!

Images

An old steam engine piston from the 1830s, showing how early machines used ropes as seals, displayed at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.
Diagram showing the moving parts of an engine, great for learning about how machines work!
Diagram showing how a two-stroke motorcycle engine works, with arrows indicating the flow of fresh air and exhaust gases.
Hydraulic cylinders are powerful parts used in machines to help make particle board, showing how tools work in factories.
An aircraft piston made from Hiduminium alloy, shown from a 1935 automotive handbook.
Diagram showing parts of a mechanical system: a cooling cavity and an oil supply channel.
Technical drawing of a Ricardo slipper piston from a 1935 automotive handbook.
An old diagram showing a steam engine piston with internal sealing rings, from a 1913 engineering book.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Piston, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.