Which term describes the distance the piston travels during one stroke?

• A. Stroke
• B. Cycle
• C. Rotation
• D. Clearance

Answer: (A)

The distance a piston travels during one stroke is called the stroke. A stroke is the movement of the piston from top dead center to bottom dead center (or the reverse). This is the single directional travel, not the full event sequence. In contrast, the cycle refers to the complete set of events in an engine cycle (for a four-stroke engine, intake, compression, power, exhaust), which includes multiple strokes. Rotation describes the crankshaft turning, which drives the piston motion, and clearance is the small gap at the top of the cylinder between the piston and the cylinder head. So the term that fits the described distance is stroke.