Final answer:
Philip Lebon's engine ran on coal gas and used a flint spark for ignition, but was too weak for practical use. Otto and Langan improved it by compressing the air-fuel mixture before ignition, and gasoline was later used to create a more powerful engine. For technological devices, the energy form converted to accomplish a task is termed useful work.
Step-by-step explanation:
An early internal combustion engine invented by Philip Lebon ran on coal gas, which was ignited by a flint spark. This engine was found to be too weak to operate any attached machine. N.A. Otto and Eugene Langan increased the engine power by having the air-fuel mixture compress before ignition. The later engine used gasoline instead as a fuel, making it even more powerful.
Technological devices are designed to convert one form of energy into another form of energy to complete a certain task. The energy that can complete the task is called useful work.