π Inventions and machines π On land
Car
π In short
The car is one of the most important ways of getting around in the world, taking people to work, to school and on trips. There are hundreds of millions of cars in the world, in different shapes, colors and sizes. And it was only invented about 140 years ago!
π€© Did you know?
- There are more than a billion cars in the world today.
- The Italian company Fiat began exporting its cars in 1903.
- Old electric cars were slow and needed charging about every 80 kilometers.
- Car exhaust pollutes the air, which is why electric cars are spreading today.
π Find out more
π The engine
Most cars have an engine that burns petrol or diesel, making a force that turns the wheels. Modern electric cars have an electric motor powered by a big battery that's charged like a phone.
π The first cars
The German Karl Benz made one of the first petrol-engined cars around 1886, and it had three wheels. Then Henry Ford made lots of cheap cars in a fast factory, and they spread everywhere.
π‘ Important parts
A car has a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, brakes to stop, lights, mirrors so the driver can see behind, seat belts, and airbags that inflate in a crash.
π― Safety in the car
Always wear your seat belt, sit in the back, don't put your head or hand out of the window, and don't distract the driver while they're driving.
𧩠Test yourself
1 What do you always fasten when you get in a car?
2 What does an electric car run on?
3 Old electric cars were slow and needed charging about every ?? kilometers.
4 Which picture shows βCarβ?
π Discover more
π· Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons
- ModelTMitch Β· Public domain
