What are the two wheels on a turbocharger called?

• A. Compressor and Turbine
• B. Piston and Cylinder
• C. Gear and Pinion
• D. Rotor and Stator

Answer: (A)

Turbochargers use two wheels on a common shaft to convert exhaust energy into boosted intake air. The wheel in the compressor housing is the compressor wheel (impeller); it takes in air and compresses it so the engine can inhale more dense air, which increases power. The wheel in the turbine housing is the turbine wheel; exhaust gases from the engine flow through it, spinning the shaft and driving the compressor wheel. That mechanical link means energy from the exhaust is used to compress incoming air. The other options don’t describe the two wheels of a turbocharger—pistons and cylinders are engine combustion parts, gears and pinions are part of gear trains, and rotor and stator refer to other machinery components rather than the two turbocharger wheels.