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Theoretical petrol and diesel cycles

Theoretical petrol and diesel cycles

Side-by-side p-V diagrams of theoretical petrol and diesel engine cycles, with a vertical constant-volume heating step on the petrol cycle and a horizontal constant-pressure heating step on the diesel cycle

Internal combustion engines are often analysed with a pressure-volume, or p−Vp-Vp−V, indicator diagram. The area enclosed by one loop is the net work done by the gas in one cycle for one cylinder.

Engine cycles (A-level only) Lesson

  1. A Level
  2. /Physics
  3. /Engine cycles (A-level only)

Step-by-step lessons on AQA A Level Physics Engine cycles (A-level only). Each one builds up to exam-style questions. Physics is one of the most mathematically demanding A Levels -- at least 40% of the marks require maths skills at Level 2 (GCSE) standard or above, so build calculation and graph-handling fluency alongside the conceptual content from the start.

Lessons