In the following verbal analogy, Food is to Stomach as Fuel is to which mechanical component or part?

Introduction / Context:
This analogy question tests your understanding of functional relationships between everyday objects and the parts that use or process them. Food goes into the stomach, where it is processed and converted into energy for the body. In the same way, fuel is used by a mechanical part in a vehicle or machine to produce power. The task is to identify which option stands in the same relation to fuel as stomach stands to food.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair in the analogy: Food : Stomach.
• Second pair pattern: Fuel : ?
• Available options: Truck, Plane, Engine, Automobile.
• We assume food is the input and the stomach is the organ that processes this input.
• We assume fuel is the input for a mechanical system and we must find the processing or consuming part, not the entire vehicle.

Concept / Approach:
In standard analogy questions, the relationship in the first pair must match the relationship in the second pair. Here, the relationship is not of location alone, but of consumption and processing. The stomach is the specific part of the body that receives and processes food. Similarly, we look for the specific mechanical part that receives and burns fuel to generate power. A whole vehicle uses fuel, but the direct processor is its engine.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the first pair. Food is the substance taken in by the body, and the stomach is the organ that digests and processes food. Step 2: Translate this functional link. The pattern is input material to processing unit. Step 3: Consider fuel. Fuel is the substance that provides energy for a vehicle or machine. Step 4: Identify where fuel is actually burned or converted into useful work. Inside vehicles, fuel is burned in the internal combustion engine or used by some type of engine. Step 5: Compare each option with this functional role and see which describes the processing unit rather than the whole machine.

Verification / Alternative check:
If we make the pattern explicit, we get: Food : Stomach :: Fuel : X. Stomach is not the whole body but a specific internal part that processes food. Likewise, the correct X must be a specific internal part that processes fuel. Engine perfectly fits this role. Trucks, planes, and automobiles are complete vehicles, not the processing components themselves, so they are less precise matches for the required analogy.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Truck: A truck uses fuel, but it is the entire vehicle, not the internal part that burns the fuel. Plane: A plane also uses fuel, but again, it is the whole aircraft, not the consuming component. Automobile: Similar to truck and plane, this describes the whole vehicle rather than the specific mechanism that converts fuel into motion.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners focus only on objects that are associated with fuel and overlook the key idea that the second term in the pair should be a component, not a whole system. Another common mistake is to treat fuel as if it must match any type of vehicle without checking the role parallel to stomach. Always align the function: what exactly does the processing or conversion in each case.

Final Answer:
The mechanical part that stands to fuel as the stomach stands to food is the Engine.