Question

What is the principle behind the carburetor of an automobile?

Answer 1

Hint: Carburetor is a part of internal-combustion engine operated automobiles. It helps in maintaining an efficient air to fuel ratio for proper combustion of the fuel and giving the vehicle a better performance by providing an enhanced mileage.

Complete step by step answer:
Carburetor is an important system in the internal-combustion engines of modern-day automobiles. It is a pipe in the shape of a venturi situated above the engine. It consists of an air filter which passes the air to the pipe through a choke valve. The venturi-pipe is connected to a fuel supply which can provide jets of fuel to the pipe to get mixed with the air for combustion.
The most basic demonstration of a carburetor is as shown below.

The carburetor works on Bernoulli's principle. According to the principle, the pressure in a system is inversely proportional to the speed of flow of the fluid inside it. i.e., the higher the speed of fluid, the lower will be the static pressure in the system or lower the potential energy with higher kinetic energy.
Now, when we extend this idea to the carburetor, we can understand that the air pressure inside the venturi can balance the quantity of incoming of the fuel jet into the tube. When the gas pedal is pressed, the engine requires more fuel for combustion. There is a ‘throttle valve’ at the bottom of the venturi-tube which opens according to the requirement of fuel. When the valve is opened more, the air pressure inside the tube reduces as air passes through the choke valve to the throttle faster and faster. This results in more fuel being released to the tube for combustion.
Thus, we understand that the carburetor works on Bernoulli's principle.

Note: The automobiles today have changed their engines from internal-combustion type to fuel injector type. This has replaced the carburetor with other systems. But, the car we use mostly, still use the internal-combustion engines and therefore, work in this way.