What is the difference between a Motor and an Engine?

Answer 1

Depends on which English you are using. In UK a "Motor" is often used to describe a "Motor car" which of course is driven by an "Engine". Generally engineers here use the word "Engine" to refer to a reciprocating [Internal Combustion or Steam] Engine and "Motor" is generally used for rotating power sources such as electric.

Answer 2

Difference Between Engine And Motor

Answer 3

Motor Vs Engine

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is the difference between a Motor and an Engine?

Answer 5

The basic and main difference between motor and engine is that engine converts chemical energy of fuel into mechanical energy whereas motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Both these devices used for develop mechanical motion. There are many other hidden differences which are described as follow.


1.

It converts chemical energy into mechanical energy.


It converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.


2.


It is run by fuel.


It is run by electricity.


3.

Engine needs lubrication for continuous running.


It doesn't need lubrication.


4.

It is generally a piston cylinder device.


Motor is an arrangement of coil and rotor.


5.

For the equal power engines are heavier then motor.


Motor are lighter than engines.


6.

It has less efficient.


Efficiency of motor is high.


7.

It generate lot of sound during converting energy.


It develops less sound.

Answer 6

There are more confusion about the differences in naming Motor and Engines in particular cases like Rocket Science and Outboard Motors etc. However, I found the following explanations as near to universal:

Date: Tue Mar 23 15:37:09 1999
Posted By: Frederick Carranti, Staff, Mechanical, Aerospace, & Manufacturing Engineering, Syracuse University
Area of science: Engineering
ID: 920936769.Eg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message:

The basic difference is this:

A motor (or, more formally, an electric motor) is a device which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. They come in all variety of size and type. It is rather easy to build a simple one, and I am sure that any good science store would have kits to do that, or books to guide you through a home project.

An engine (or, more formally, a heat engine) is a device that converts chemical energy or heat energy into mechanical energy. The three main types are the internal combustion piston engine (like the engine in your automobile, gas turbine engines (like the powerplants used in jet aircraft), and steam engines. There are kits available for steam engines (check out Edmund Scientific), and there are plastic models to display the components of automotive engines, again found in most good science stores).

Hope this helps.

Frederick J. Carranti, P.E.

Answer 7

Engines convert fuel into a kinetic energy that can be used to do work. (Steam, coal, diesel, or gas engines) Engines are sometimes considered a type of motor.

Motors convert electricity into mechanical motion.

It gets confusing since auto and motorcycle manufacturers have the word "motor" in their name. i.e. Ford Motor Company, GM (General Motors), Mopar. Not to say that automobiles don't use motors.

Answer 8

As the names suggest, Motor is a device which initiates a motion, and more precisely circular motion (don't jump on me, for non-circular motion, we have linear motors)
Engine is a term from energy machine - I do not know how they coined the word (as usual it must be from Greek or ancient French/Latin derivative)
Difference is very clear in common terminology. Motor is an electrical device to produce motion and engine is an energy powered device (in this case, fuels) to produce same effect.

Do i make any sense?

Answer 9

A motor consumes electricity and then converts it into mechanical energy. An engine converts usually chemical energy in the form of fuel to Kinetic energy.

Answer 10

An engine converts heat energy into mechanical energy.

Anything else is a motor....