Here is a comprehensive project prompt designed for students, makers, or science enthusiasts. It breaks down the complex mechanics of an internal combustion engine into a creative, manageable stop-motion animation project.

Project Title: The "4-Stroke Symphony"

Objective: Create a 15–30 second stop-motion animation that accurately visualizes the "Otto Cycle" (the four-stroke cycle) of a gasoline engine, demonstrating how fuel turns into motion.

Phase 1: The Setup & Materials

The Medium:

Choose your animation style based on the materials you have:

Claymation: Use modeling clay (Play-Doh) for fluid movement of gases and explosions.
Cut-Paper: Use construction paper cutouts for a clean, schematic look.
LEGO/Objects: Use bricks to build the mechanical parts and loose studs/cotton balls for fuel and exhaust.

The "Cast" (Required Components to Build):

Before animating, build these static assets:

The Cylinder: A hollow tube or rectangular outline.
The Piston: A solid block that fits inside the cylinder (must move up and down).
The Crankshaft: A rotating circle at the bottom connected to the piston by a rod.
The Valves: Two "doors" at the top (Intake & Exhaust).
The Spark Plug: Located at the very top center.

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Phase 2: The Script (The Science of the 4 Strokes)

Your animation must loop through these four specific stages. Use the table below as your storyboard guide.

Stage Name	The Action (What moves?)	The Visuals (What do we see?)
1. INTAKE	Piston moves DOWN. Intake valve (left) OPENS.	Blue/Yellow particles (Air/Fuel) flood into the cylinder from the top left.
2. COMPRESSION	Piston moves UP. Both valves are CLOSED.	The Blue/Yellow particles get squished tight at the top. They should change color (to orange) to show heat/pressure building.
3. POWER	Spark plug FLASHES. Piston is forced DOWN violently.	Explosion! Use red/orange jagged shapes expanding rapidly. This is the only time energy is created.
4. EXHAUST	Piston moves UP. Exhaust valve (right) OPENS.	Grey/Black particles (Smoke) are pushed out of the top right valve.

Phase 3: Production Guidelines

1. Frame Rate Math

Stop motion is a series of photos played fast.

Goal: 10 Frames Per Second (FPS).
Math: For a 20-second video, you need 200 photos.
Tip: Don't move the objects too far between photos, or the engine will look "glitchy."

2. Color Coding

Clarity is key. Use specific colors to represent the chemistry:

Blue: Cool air.
Yellow: Gasoline mist.
Orange: Compressed (hot) mixture.
Red: Combustion/Explosion.
Grey: Burnt exhaust fumes.

3. Mechanical Accuracy

The Crankshaft: Ensure the circle at the bottom rotates continuously in one direction (clockwise) throughout the whole video. It should not wiggle back and forth.
Valve Timing: Make sure the valves are closed during Compression and Power strokes. If they are open, the engine loses pressure!

Phase 4: The "Creative Twist" Challenge

To get full marks (or maximum creativity points), add one of the following elements:

Sound Effects: Record your own mouth sounds for the Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow noises.
The Multi-Cylinder: Animate two pistons moving in opposition (like a V-Twin engine).
The Breakdown: At the end of the loop, have the engine "overheat" or break down comically.

Grading Rubric / Success Criteria

Scientific Accuracy: Did the 4 strokes happen in the correct order? (Intake $\rightarrow$ Compression $\rightarrow$ Power $\rightarrow$ Exhaust).
Smoothness: Is the animation fluid, or jumpy? Is the camera steady?
Clarity: Can the viewer clearly distinguish between fresh fuel and exhaust smoke?
The "Bang": Does the spark happen at the exact moment of maximum compression?

Would you like me to generate a specific storyboard list (frame-by-frame) for the "Power Stroke" explosion sequence to help with the most difficult part of the animation?

Here is a detailed, frame-by-frame storyboard for the Power Stroke. This is the most dramatic part of the animation, so we want it to look energetic and forceful.

Scene Setup

Current State: The piston is at the very top (Top Dead Center).
Valves: Both are CLOSED.
Fuel: The fuel is currently a tight, compressed ball of orange clay (or paper) sitting right under the spark plug.

The Sequence: "Ignition & Expansion" (10 Frames)

This sequence covers roughly 1 second of video (at 10 fps).

Frame #	The Action (Physics)	Visual/Art Direction
Frame 1	The Pause (Tension)	Keep everything still. The compressed orange fuel is waiting. This creates anticipation.
Frame 2	The Spark	Add a small Yellow/White star shape to the tip of the spark plug. Do not move the piston yet.
Frame 3	Ignition	Make the spark star bigger. Change the center of the orange fuel ball to Red.
Frame 4	The Explosion Begins	Big Change: Replace the smooth fuel ball with a jagged, spiky Red/Orange shape. Move the piston DOWN slightly (10%). Rotate the crank slightly.
Frame 5	Rapid Expansion	Make the jagged red shape Larger. Move the piston DOWN significantly (to 40%). The force is pushing it fast now.
Frame 6	Peak Power	The red shape fills the cylinder. Add some Yellow streaks inside the red for heat. Piston moves to 60% down.
Frame 7	Cooling Down	The jagged edges soften. The color shifts from bright red to Dark Red/Grey. Piston is at 80% down.
Frame 8	Bottoming Out	The gas is now mostly Grey smoke. Piston reaches the very bottom (Bottom Dead Center).
Frame 9	The Settle	Keep the piston at the bottom. The gas is fully grey (exhaust). The crank has completed a half-circle from where it started.
Frame 10	Ready for Exhaust	Piston stays at bottom, but prepare the Exhaust Valve (Right) to start opening in the next shot.

3 Pro-Tips for this Sequence

1. The "Ease-Out" Technique

In physics, explosions start fast and then the piston slows down as it reaches the bottom.

Frames 4–6: Move the piston in large jumps (big distance).
Frames 7–9: Move the piston in smaller increments.
This makes the explosion feel punchy and realistic.

2. Lighting Hack

If you want to make the spark look real, take a small flashlight or your phone's torch. For Frames 2 and 3, shine the light quickly onto the scene for just those photos. It will create a "flash" effect in the final video.

3. The Crankshaft Logic

Remember, the piston moves in a straight line, but the crankshaft moves in a circle.

When the piston is at the top, the crank connection is at 12 o'clock.
When the piston is at the bottom (Frame 9), the crank connection must be at 6 o'clock.

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The "4-Stroke Symphony"