What basic principle do reciprocating engines operate off of?

Reciprocating engines operate on the basis principle of converting fuel/chemical energy into mechanical energy.

Explanation:

These are piston engines that uses up and down motions of pistons to convert pressure into rotational motion. The common types of a reciprocating engines are :

The engine utilizes 4 processes to complete a cycle, which are;

These processes indicate that chemical energy in the fuel mixture is converted to mechanical energy causing motion.

b. check your rearview mirror

explanation: