Internal Combustion Engine

Hello. I am a vroom-vroom engine. I love to make a big, rumbling sound. VROOOM. Before I came along, people rode on horses to go from place to place. Clip-clop, clip-clop. That was very slow. I wanted to help everyone go fast. I have a special power deep inside my metal tummy. It feels like a little rumble that gets bigger and bigger until it makes things GO. I get so excited when I get to use my power to push and pull and zoom all around. It is my favorite thing to do. I am strong and I love to work hard and help people travel to new places.

My first big vroom was so exciting. A very smart man helped me come to life. His name was Nicolaus Otto. He worked very, very hard, and one day, way back on August 4th, 1876, I took my first big breath and made my first sound. Do you want to know my secret. It is like a little dance. First, I drink a tiny bit of special juice. Gulp. Then, I take a little breath of air. Whoosh. After that, a tiny spark makes a little pop inside my tummy. POP. That little pop gives me a big push. PUSH. I do my little dance over and over, very fast, to make things go.

Soon, I was helping everyone go. People put me inside shiny new cars. Vroom, vroom, down the street we went. They put me in boats to chug-chug across the water. They even put me in airplanes to zoom-zoom high in the sky among the clouds. I am so happy I can help families go on fun adventures. I help them visit grandma and grandpa and all the people they love. Because of my vroom, the big, wide world feels a little smaller and everyone feels a little closer.