A Hersonissos ATV tour is a trip by quad bike or another light off-road vehicle around Hersonissos, a municipality of northern Crete. The page starts with Malia and its villages, then turns to the carburetor, engine displacement, the crankshaft, the drum brake, the fuel tank, the air filter, the Malia palace and the oil filter, and ends with four short answers. Short definitions explain each new word, using facts drawn from reference articles. Browse more trips at Greece tours.
What does a Hersonissos ATV tour mean?
A Hersonissos ATV tour is a trip by quad bike or by another light off-road vehicle. It takes place around Hersonissos, a municipality on the northern coast of Crete. This section looks at Malia and its villages in plain words.
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up Malia. This coastal town occupies the northeast corner of the Heraklion region of Crete. Malia forms part of the municipality of Hersonissos, which is a local council area. The economy of Malia centres on hotels, restaurants, gift shops and bars.
The tourist economy of Malia goes quiet in winter, when its restaurants close until spring. Visitor numbers in Malia have grown past other Eastern Mediterranean resorts such as Ayia Napa and Zante. A holiday resort is a town built for leisure and rest. Eastern Mediterranean means the east end of the Mediterranean Sea.
The village of Krasi lies about 46.3 kilometres southeast of Heraklion, which is the capital of Crete. The village has a church called Metamorphosis Sotiros, with frescoes and a wooden temple. A fresco is wall art painted onto damp plaster. Locals link Krasi with a tradition of music and dance.
Krasi lies on the northwest slope of Mount Selena, which rises 1,559 metres. Slope means the tilted side of a hill. Mochos is a mountain village about 45 kilometres southeast of Heraklion. A mountain village sits high on a hill or slope. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions these villages only in passing.
- Town: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that Malia sits on the coast in the Heraklion region.
- Village: Krasi has a church, Metamorphosis Sotiros, with frescoes and a wooden temple.
- Peak: Krasi lies on the northwest slope of Mount Selena, which rises 1,559 metres.
Malia, Krasi and Mochos lie close to Hersonissos on the north side of Crete. A Hersonissos ATV tour is the title of this page, and these places are its first subjects. The sections that follow cover the parts of an engine, one by one.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the carburetor add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the carburetor. This is a device a gasoline engine uses to control and mix air and fuel. The mixture then enters the inlet manifold, a pipe that spreads it to the cylinders. This section follows how it works.
The main way a carburetor adds fuel relies on the Venturi effect, Bernoulli’s principle or a pitot tube. In the simplest carburetors, air pressure at the fuel entry point falls at higher airflow speeds. More airflow through the carburetor draws in more fuel. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions this idea only in passing.
In cold weather, fuel vaporizes less readily and tends to condense on the walls of the intake manifold. To condense is to turn from gas back into liquid. While the engine warms up, the choke valve is partly closed, which restricts the air entering the carburetor. A choke valve is a flap that limits air.
A small piston or diaphragm pump injects extra fuel into the carburetor throat when the pedal is pressed. A diaphragm is a thin flexible sheet. Carburetors include a fuel reservoir called a float chamber, or float bowl. A floating inlet valve regulates the fuel entering the float chamber to keep a constant level.
Two-barrel and four-barrel carburetors have two and four venturi respectively. A barrel is one air passage. A venturi is a narrow part of a tube that speeds up the air. In 1826 Samuel Morey patented a gas or vapor engine whose carburetor mixed turpentine and air. Turpentine is a thin oil from pine trees.
- Mix: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that a carburetor mixes air and fuel for a gasoline engine.
- Choke: While the engine warms up, the choke valve is partly closed.
- Float: A float chamber holds the fuel, and a floating valve keeps a constant level.
The carburetor mixes air and fuel before they reach the cylinders. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the carburetor is a subject it covers. Later methods spray the fuel instead. The next section looks at engine displacement.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does engine displacement add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up engine displacement. Engine displacement measures the cylinder volume swept by the pistons, not counting the combustion chambers. It is commonly used to express the size of an engine. This section explains the unit and the formula.
Displacement is also an indicator of the power an engine is capable of producing. It is expressed in metric units of cubic centimetres or litres. A litre is 1,000 cubic centimetres. A cubic centimetre is a small box, one centimetre each side. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions this unit only in passing.
For a typical piston engine, displacement is stroke length times cylinder area times cylinder count. A piston engine has pistons that move up and down in cylinders. Stroke length is the distance a piston travels in one trip. The formula can give misleading results for engines of another design, such as the Wankel.
A Wankel engine has a nominal displacement that is three times smaller than its physical displacement. Nominal means named on paper. Physical means measured in the real engine. Tax rules treat a Wankel engine as 1.5 times its stated physical displacement. A Wankel engine uses a spinning rotor instead of pistons.
In Japan, engine displacement is one factor used to set the size class of a vehicle. Cars registered before 1 March 2001 in the UK are taxed on engine displacement. Where displacement drives taxes, makers raise power with higher-revving engines or turbocharging. A turbocharger uses exhaust gas to push more air into an engine.
- Meaning: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that displacement measures the volume swept by the pistons.
- Units: Displacement is expressed in metric units of cubic centimetres or litres.
- Power: Displacement is also an indicator of the power an engine is capable of producing.
Engine displacement is a size measure for an engine. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the measure is a subject it covers. Historically, car model names have included their engine displacement. The next section looks at the crankshaft.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the crankshaft add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the crankshaft. A crankshaft converts reciprocating motion into rotational motion in a piston engine. Reciprocating means moving back and forth, and rotational means spinning. This section follows its parts and its long history in plain words.
The crankshaft is a rotating shaft with one or more crankpins driven by pistons through connecting rods. A shaft is a long round bar. Crankpins are also called rod bearing journals. They rotate within the big end of the connecting rods. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions these parts only in passing.
Each piston’s up-and-down motion is transferred to the crankshaft through connecting rods. The distance between the crankpin axis and the crankshaft axis sets the stroke length. Main bearings hold the crankshaft in place within the engine block and let it rotate. A bearing is a part that lets another part turn smoothly.
Counterweights on the crankshaft cancel the rotating and reciprocating masses of the crankshaft-rod-piston assembly. A counterweight is a heavy block that balances a spinning part. Reciprocating masses move back and forth. Crankshafts are made from steel or cast iron by forging, casting or machining. Forging means shaping hot metal by pressing or hammering.
Manufacturers favour forged crankshafts for lighter weight, compact dimensions and better damping. Damping means softening shakes in a moving part. Another construction method casts the crankshaft from ductile iron. Ductile iron is iron that can bend a little without breaking. Casting means pouring melted metal into a mould.
- Job: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that a crankshaft turns piston motion into spin.
- Parts: The crankshaft carries crankpins, main bearings and counterweights along its length.
- History: Ismail al-Jazari described a crank and connecting rod system for water-raising machines.
A crankshaft turns the push of the pistons into spin. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the crankshaft is a subject it covers. Leonardo da Vinci described crankshafts too, centuries ago. The next section looks at the drum brake.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the drum brake add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the drum brake. A drum brake uses friction from shoes or pads pressing outward against a rotating bowl-shaped brake drum. Friction is the rubbing force that slows motion. This section follows its parts and its history.
The brake drum is made of a special cast iron that is heat-conductive and wear-resistant. When the brakes are applied, the lining pushes against the inner surface of the drum. A lining is rough material. The friction slows or stops the rotation of the wheel and axle. This friction generates substantial heat.
The modern automobile drum brake was first used in a car in 1900. Two pistons in the wheel cylinder push the shoes, one at each end. The leading shoe, closest to the front of the vehicle, is called the primary shoe. The trailing shoe is called the secondary shoe.
When the driver releases the brakes, springs restore the shoes to their disengaged position. Disengaged means no longer touching the drum. Drum rotation can drag one or both shoes into the friction surface, which makes the brake bite harder. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions this effect only in passing.
A band brake uses a flexible belt wrapping around the outside of a drum. A band is a flat strip. ATVs are among the vehicles that use drum brakes. ATV stands for all-terrain vehicle, and a quad bike is one kind. A Hersonissos ATV tour is a ride on such a vehicle.
- Parts: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that a drum brake presses shoes against a rotating drum.
- Shoes: The leading shoe is the primary shoe, and the trailing shoe is the secondary shoe.
- Start: The modern automobile drum brake was first used in a car in 1900.
A drum brake slows a wheel by friction inside a drum. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the brake is a subject it covers. Springs reset the shoes when the brakes are released. The next section looks at the fuel tank.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the fuel tank add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the fuel tank. A fuel tank is a safe container for flammable fluids such as gasoline or diesel fuel. Flammable means able to catch fire easily. This section follows how tanks are built and what they must do.
Fuel tanks range from the small plastic tank of a butane lighter. At the other end of the range is the Space Shuttle external tank. The system must hold a set quantity of fuel, avoid leaks and limit escaping vapour. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions these tasks only in passing.
The tank must be filled in a secure way, without sparks. A spark is a tiny flash of fire. The tank needs a way to gauge the remaining quantity of fuel, which must be measured or evaluated. If over-pressure is not allowed, fuel vapours must be managed through valves.
Metal fuel tanks of steel or aluminium are built by welding stamped sheet metal parts together. Welding joins metal parts by melting them at the seam. A seam is the line where two parts meet. Plastic fuel tanks are blow molded, which allows more complex shapes. Blow molding inflates hot plastic inside a mould.
Vehicles can have a smaller reserve tank for use when the main fuel tank is empty. A larger fuel tank gives a car more range between refills, but it adds weight and needs space. Automotive gas tanks attach to a carbon canister that captures fuel vapour. Range is the distance a vehicle can cover.
- Task: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that a fuel tank must hold a set quantity of fuel.
- Build: On a Hersonissos ATV tour page, metal tanks are welded and plastic tanks are blow molded.
- Reserve: Vehicles can have a smaller reserve tank for use when the main tank is empty.
A fuel tank holds the fuel and keeps it from leaking. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the tank is a subject it covers. Tanks differ in size and shape. The next section looks at the air filter.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the air filter add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the air filter. A particulate air filter removes smoke, dust, pollen, mold, viruses and bacteria from the air. Particulate means made of tiny solid bits. This section covers the kinds of filter and where they are used.
Filters with an adsorbent or catalyst can remove odours and gaseous pollutants. An adsorbent holds a gas on its surface. Air filters are used wherever air quality is important. Engine, compressor and gas turbine compressor intakes are places that use air filters. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions this idea only in passing.
Air filters are made of foam, pleated paper, cotton or spun fibreglass. Oil bath air filters have fallen out of favour except for niche uses. A niche use is a small special job. Air ionizers remove dust with static electric charge instead of a filter. Static means built up on a surface.
A high efficiency particulate arrester, or HEPA, is a type of air filter. HEPA-standard filters are used in clean rooms, medical facilities, automobiles, aircraft and homes. The European standard sets 99.95% removal of particles 0.3 μm or larger. A μm is a micrometre, one millionth of a metre.
Pleated filters fold the filter medium to increase its surface area. A medium is the material that does the filtering. A combustion air filter keeps abrasive particles out of engine cylinders. Abrasive means rough enough to wear a surface away. In the United Kingdom, a cabin air filter is called a pollen filter.
- Job: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that an air filter removes dust and other bits from the air.
- Standard: HEPA filters are used in clean rooms, medical facilities, cars, aircraft and homes.
- Folds: Pleated filters fold the filter medium to increase its surface area.
An air filter cleans the air before it is used. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the filter is a subject it covers. Filters differ in size and in what they catch. The next section looks at the Palace of Malia.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the Malia palace add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the Palace of Malia. This is a Minoan palace on the north coast of Crete. Malia had the third largest Minoan palace in an early part of the Late Minoan age. This section follows its building and its writing.
The palace was destroyed at the end of the Late Minoan IB period. The Late Minoan periods are the last stages of the Minoan Bronze Age. The Neopalatial palace was built of ashlar sandstone and mudbrick. Ashlar is cut stone, and mudbrick is dried clay. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions these terms only in passing.
The Neopalatial palace was built on an earlier Protopalatial palace. Proto means first, and Neopalatial means of the new palace age. The later palace incorporates structures of the earlier palace. A sizable mudbrick palace was constructed at Malia by the Middle Minoan IIB period. Sizable means fairly large.
Cretan hieroglyphic inscriptions were found in the MM IIIB Depothieroglyphique in the palace. Hieroglyphic means written with small pictures. Six Linear A tablets and five roundels have been found at Malia. A roundel is a small clay disc used for records. A blue limestone slab was found near Malia in the 1930s.
Excavation at Malia resumed in 1964 under Oliver Pelon. Work resumed again under Maud Devolder in 2014, with a focus on publication and restoration. Excavation means careful digging for clues to the past. In the Late Minoan IB layer, an inlay showed an Egyptian sphinx. An inlay is a piece set into a surface.
- Size: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that Malia had the third largest palace of its age.
- Build: On a Hersonissos ATV tour page, the Neopalatial palace was built of ashlar sandstone and mudbrick.
- Writing: Six Linear A tablets and five roundels have been found at Malia.
The palace of Malia is one of the great Minoan sites on the island. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the palace is a subject it covers. The next section looks at the oil filter.
On a Hersonissos ATV tour, what does the oil filter add?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings up the oil filter. An oil filter removes contaminants from engine oil, transmission oil, lubricating oil or hydraulic oil. Contaminants are unwanted bits such as dirt. This section covers the uses and the main designs of oil filters.
The chief use of oil filters is in internal-combustion engines for motor vehicles. Other uses include powered aircraft, railway locomotives, ships and boats, and static engines. A static engine stays in one place. Gas turbine engines, including jet aircraft engines, also need oil filters. A Hersonissos ATV tour mentions these uses only in passing.
The oil industry uses filters in oil production, oil pumping and oil recycling. Early car engines had no oil filter, only a basic mesh sieve at the oil pump intake. A sieve is a net that holds back large bits. The spin-on oil filter design was introduced in the mid-1950s.
In a full-flow system, a pump sends pressurised oil through a filter to the engine bearings. A full-flow filter protects the engine from wear caused by abrasion. Abrasion is wear from rubbing. A bypass filter is a secondary system that keeps oil free of dirt, soot and water.
Filters mounted where oil drains from them can have an anti-drainback valve that holds oil after shutdown. Magnetic filters use a magnet to catch ferromagnetic particles, which are bits drawn to a magnet. High efficiency oil filters have pores of 3 micrometres, which studies link to less engine wear.
- Job: A Hersonissos ATV tour page notes that an oil filter removes contaminants from engine oil.
- Flow: In a full-flow system, a pump sends pressurised oil through a filter to the engine bearings.
- Past: Early car engines had no oil filter, only a basic mesh sieve at the oil pump intake.
An oil filter keeps engine oil clean as it circulates through the engine. A Hersonissos ATV tour titles this page, and the filter is a subject it covers. The spin-on design came in the mid-1950s. Four short answers follow in the last section.
What four questions does a Hersonissos ATV tour raise?
A Hersonissos ATV tour brings four things to ask, and each reply sits below in plain words. They cover the Sea of Crete, the Dikti mountains, the town of Malia and the city of Heraklion. Each reply has its own source behind it.
Which sea lies north of the coast behind a Hersonissos ATV tour?
In the southern part of the Aegean lies the Sea of Crete. It lies south of the Cyclades and west of the islands of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kassos. Heraklion is one of the port towns on this sea. A port town has a harbour for ships.
Which mountain range rises in the east of the island behind a Hersonissos ATV tour?
Dikti, also called the Lasithian Mountains, is a range in eastern Crete. North of the main massif lies the Lasithi Plateau. The main massif curves like a horseshoe around the Selakano valley. A range is a chain of mountains, and a massif is a block of them.
Which coastal town belongs to the municipality behind a Hersonissos ATV tour?
Malia is a seaside town at the northeast corner of the Heraklion region of Crete. It lies about 34 kilometres east of Heraklion. Malia is part of the municipality of Hersonissos. A kilometre is 1,000 metres. A region is a broad area of country.
Which city is the capital of the island behind a Hersonissos ATV tour?
Heraklion is the biggest city of Crete and its administrative capital. The greater area of Heraklion has been continuously inhabited since at least 7000 BCE. Among all Greek islands, no city is larger than Heraklion. BCE stands for the years before the common era. A city is a large town.