How does a car work?

A car moves because its engine turns wheels. Grown-ups press pedals with their feet. The engine hums under the hood. Round wheels roll on the road.

A car uses stored power to turn its wheels. Some cars burn gas, and some use a big battery. The driver presses a pedal to go, turns the wheel to steer, and presses another pedal to stop. It is a bit like riding a trike: when the wheels turn, it rolls forward, but a car has a machine doing the pushing.

A car works by changing stored energy into movement. In a gas car, fuel burns in the engine, making parts push and turn. In an electric car, a battery sends power to a motor, which is a machine that spins. That spinning goes to the wheels, so the tires push on the road and the car moves. Steering points the front wheels, and brakes squeeze the wheels to slow them. Fun fact: early cars often went slower than a fast bicycle.