Engine vs. Motor - Page 2

doug · 08-14-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEG

Perhaps by strict dictionary definition, but in common usage I find that quick is typically about acceleration, and fast is about top speed. Because enough people think about them that way it is probably good practice to make sure you don't say "Tesla is faster than other Supercars"

Well again it's semantics. Quick and fast are non-technical terms and (sadly) most people don't understand the distinction between acceleration and velocity vectors. In the context of cars, quick and fast may attain different and specific definitions (in which case they actually become technical terms). But I'd argue that it's not yet so well defined. As is good practice, one should consider the audience when communicating. So to say, "The Tesla Roadster is quicker than a Ferrari." with out further clarification to the general public is still misleading, in my opinion.

GSP · 08-15-2008, 04:12 PM

I have to agree completely with Doug's well thought out comments. However.......

1) Machines that convert electrical energy to kinetic energy are MOTORS.

2) All ICE's are Internal Combustion ENGINES

3) Fast is a relative VELOCITY

4) If you do any drag racing at all, Quick is relative ACCELERATION, specifically for the quarter mile.

Anything else is just not proper (American) English! :-)

GSP

TEG · 08-15-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vfx

I am still lobbying for "Torque pedal"

Yeah, remember this?

Brent · 08-17-2008, 11:46 PM

This article seems to have a detailed look at the issue.

Quote:

Engine is from the Latin ingenium, which referred to one’s ability to create things, one’s native genius; it comes from a root meaning ‘create; beget’ from which we get words like genetic, and is also the source of ingenious and ingenuity (engineer derives from a related word).

Quote:

Motor had quite different origins, coming from the Latin movere, ‘to move’. It was first employed in English in the sense of ‘instigator’, or something that causes motion, often in a figurative sense, as of God as being the cause of the motion of the heavens.

All this said, I guess if we need to distinguish between electric and combustion propulsion, motor and engine are good enough.