Splash Biography

From the steam trains that united America's two great oceans, to the cars that transport millions of people every day, combustion engines are everywhere in the modern world. A single tank of gasoline can move you hundreds of miles from home, placing the world at your fingertips. Moral of the story: engines are cool. And, even cooler, they are quite simple to understand on a fundamental level. I will take us through time, beginning with the Newcomen and Watt steam engines that drove the Industrial Revolution to the Otto Cycle and modern thermodynamic processes that drive efficiency and power in engines. Goal is to have a fun time and gain an appreciation for the engines that propel society forward.