This document contains a chapter on the basics of gas turbines. It defines gas turbines and describes their basic operation and history. The key components of a gas turbine include a compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine. Air is compressed in the compressor then mixed with fuel and ignited in the combustion chamber. The hot exhaust gases pass through the turbine, which drives the compressor and generates power. The history section traces the development of gas turbines back to inventions in ancient times and discusses important milestones in the 19th-20th centuries.