What is the primary purpose of a gas turbine?

The primary purpose of a gas turbine is to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy. Gas turbines operate on the principle of converting the energy generated from fuel combustion into motion. When fuel is burned in the presence of air, it produces high-temperature, high-pressure gas that expands and drives the turbine blades. This mechanical energy can then be used for various applications, such as driving generators to produce electricity or powering aircraft.

In terms of context, while gas turbines do generate electricity as a byproduct of their operation, and they can compress air for combustion purposes, the fundamental operation focuses on converting the thermal energy from combustion into usable mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is what enables the turbine to perform its work, making this the correct answer to the question.