Which component is responsible for igniting the air-fuel mixture in gasoline engines?

The component responsible for igniting the air-fuel mixture in gasoline engines is the spark plug. The spark plug generates a high-voltage electric spark that occurs at the right moment in the engine's cycle. When the air and gasoline are compressed in the combustion chamber, the spark produced by the spark plug ignites this mixture, causing a combustion event that drives the piston down and ultimately powers the vehicle.

This ignition process is critical for the engine's operation because it directly affects the timing and efficiency of combustion. Without a functioning spark plug, the engine would not be able to start or run efficiently, as the necessary ignition of the air-fuel mixture would not occur.

Fuel injectors are responsible for delivering the right amount of fuel into the combustion chamber but do not ignite the mixture. The ignition coil provides the high voltage needed for the spark plug to create the spark but is not the component that directly ignites the mixture itself. The fuel pump's role is to supply fuel from the tank to the engine; again, it does not ignite the air-fuel mixture. Thus, the spark plug is the essential component for ignition in gasoline engines.