Motors vs engines

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Meanwhile, over on a furniture forum, there is a heated debate about sofa vs. couch.
 
lot of boats used for fishing have both:). all of my raceboats have electric motors, of course they are all under 32" in length. what would one call a moped with a gas engine?
Rex
 
I try to refer to them as 'Motors'.. I feel Estes is wrong.

why?

An engine is defined (loosely!) as a machine that make energy from mechanical means. the pistons pumping up & down to creat<script id="gpt-impl-0.5655488697115063" src="https://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt/pubads_impl_105.js"></script>e rotational motion & power, a steam engine doing pretty much the same work.. (has moving parts, that all work together to produce the desired work)
A motor is defined as a device that changes energies to produce power directly. An electric motor uses magnetic energy to produce rotational motion & power.. A chemical motor produces energy from a (controlled) chemical reaction..

Ditto, EXACTLY! I've been flying model rockets since the early 1960's. I've always called our propelling devices "MOTORS" for exactly the differences quoted above. NO moving aparts = Motor not engine. Estes has been wrong in the term from the beginning.
 
I've always interpreted "engine" to refer to a mechanism that was designed to perform a specific task, of which powering a vehicle is just one example. Did the term not originate with machines that were designed to infiltrate fortifications, ie, siege engines? Granted, there are lot of different ways that applies (search engines, RR engines, stationary engines, etc). Anyway you look at it, the terms are partial synonyms in modern language, so there's always a lot of cross over.
 
Now I'm confused. Do you have a gas engine on your motor boat?

Yes, in my school of thought. All engines are motors, but not all motors are engines. The motor in your boat is an engine. The motor in your rocket is not an engine. Confusing, huh?
 
I'll go back to my high school days;
Machine shop & small engine repair:
An Engine burns fuel to perform work.
A Motor uses electricity to perform work.
Either usually incorporates a flywheel of some sort.
Usually on motors it is a pulley system.
 
You can listen to the scientists and engineers or you can listen to toy manufacturers or "that guy you talked to when you were 14"....

You're talking about buying a particular product from a vendor who has determined what they'd like to call their product. If that product is sold as a "motor" then that's what it is. The scientist isn't selling the product. The 'science' of language changes all the time depending on various influences. I'd say that any company who has sold hundreds of millions of rocket engines has probably influenced the name of such product over the years.
 
Even rocket scientists argue this one, so hard to call a winner.
My arbitrary preference is:
1. Motor = provides work
2. Engine = provides work and has moving parts
So in my explanation you have an Estes motor and a SpaceX engine.

My son is an Aerospace Engineer at SpaceX and tests the ENGINES before flight. He is very clear that at least to the 'rocket scientists' who test the things the cause the SpaceX rockets to go up they are ENGINES. So confirmation that they are SpaceX Engines.

I use rocket MOTORS according to him. Of course either way folks know what you mean but engineers are pretty picky about terminology. Like when little things such as kilometers and miles get mixed up during a Mars mission!


Tony
 
Ugh ...

A motor imparts motion. An engine converts energy into motion. A model rocket engine imparts motion. A model rocket motor converts energy into motion.

And a troll trolls. You should never feed a troll.

-- Roger
 
Read an Estes "Engine".

They say "Motor" on them, because legally and scientifically, they are "motors". They can sell them using whatever branding they wish, such as "COBRA", but they remain model rocket motors.

Feel free to send a letter to the N.F.P.A., NASA etc. and tell them that they are wrong. make sure the letter is at least 1000 words long and has many supporting attachments.

You're talking about buying a particular product from a vendor who has determined what they'd like to call their product. If that product is sold as a "motor" then that's what it is. The scientist isn't selling the product. The 'science' of language changes all the time depending on various influences. I'd say that any company who has sold hundreds of millions of rocket engines has probably influenced the name of such product over the years.
 
Hey, Fred,

While I agree that you are absolutely right, I am also wondering what I could do to get you more riled up! :wink:
 
I'll just stand over here by the bubbler and watch this thread:).
Rex
 
Well, it is a gas tubine engine and it has many 'sections' including a compressor, burner, turbine, and sometime an after-burner and thrust reverser 9which could be considered part of the nacelle).


https://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes Season 20 is required viewing.

OK then, what do you call a turbine? (That thing that hangs under the wing of a 707?) What do you call the thing that powered the Turbinia? One is gas fed, one is steam fed..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinia
 
Even rocket scientists argue this one, so hard to call a winner.
My arbitrary preference is:
1. Motor = provides work
2. Engine = provides work and has moving parts
So in my explanation you have an Estes motor and a SpaceX engine.

To further confuse the issue, Estes motors/engines do sometimes do have moving parts...like nozzles, fuel slugs, parts of the case....as does every brand of rocket motor from time to time....;)
 
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