Which ignition method do diesel engines rely on?

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Multiple Choice

Which ignition method do diesel engines rely on?

Diesel engines ignite fuel by compression. The air inside the cylinder is squeezed to a very high pressure and temperature, so when fuel is injected, it self-ignites from the hot air without any spark. This is known as compression ignition. In contrast, spark ignition uses a spark plug to ignite a pre-mixed air–fuel charge, which is typical for gasoline engines. External ignition isn’t how diesels operate, and auto-ignition describes the self-ignition phenomenon in general, but the established term for the diesel process is compression ignition.

Diesel engines ignite fuel by compression. The air inside the cylinder is squeezed to a very high pressure and temperature, so when fuel is injected, it self-ignites from the hot air without any spark. This is known as compression ignition. In contrast, spark ignition uses a spark plug to ignite a pre-mixed air–fuel charge, which is typical for gasoline engines. External ignition isn’t how diesels operate, and auto-ignition describes the self-ignition phenomenon in general, but the established term for the diesel process is compression ignition.

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