Motor vs. Engine?
 

Ok..... so I just thought about this, whats the difference between a motor and an engine?

An engine always has moving parts; a motor doesn't have to. At least that's what I always heard.

An engine is a type of motor.

A motor is anything that makes something move, an engine is something that uses energy derived from a fuel to create useful work.

As a point of comparison, a steam engine converts wood or coal fuel into useful work, where a spring-driven motor (like in a wind-up toy) uses the potential energy found in the spring and has no fuel source. You could also have a hydraulic motor, like the water wheels used in old-fashioned grist mills, or a wind-driven one, like a windmill.

From an automotive standpoint, you have an electric motor or a gasoline engine. A gasoline engine is a type of motor, but an electric motor is not a type of engine.

You use motors to start engines.

one builds moats, the other lives in a teepee

... right? ;)

think i got it now... so a woodchuck would chuck a bucket of wood if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

This is only true if peter piper is picking AND packing pickled peppers.

If peter piper is only picking the pickled peppers then, two wrongs make a right and ish biddidly oak doak, bo-bo, di-dot, wad-ad, shisboomba!

Oh and don't forget about the quick brown fox jumping over the lazy dog. This can have a big impact on your answer as well.

Rest Begards...and Lood Guck!!!

-bear

Seriusly though:

Engine: a mechanism or object that serves as an energy source...i.e. a black hole can be an engine for quasars.

Motor: any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion.

^ Thank you m-w.com.

In the service, a motor is electric, an engine is fossil fueled.

In an aircraft, it's called a power plant.

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Here:
Engine - a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into mechanical force and motion; also : a mechanism or object that serves as an energy source <black holes may be the engines for quasars>

Motor - 1 : one that imparts motion; specifically : PRIME MOVER
2 : any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion: as a : a small compact engine b : INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; especially : a gasoline engine c : a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy

Thanks to Marriam Webster Online dictionary.

...ironically, i should be studying thermodynamics right now...

An engine is a type of motor.

A motor is any device that converts energy to mechanical work, while an engine is a motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work.