Gasoline, also known as petrol, is a clear, volatile, flammable liquid derived from petroleum. It’s primarily used as a fuel for internal combustion engines, powering vehicles like cars, motorcycles, and boats.
Key characteristics
- Petroleum-based: Produced from crude oil through refining.
- Volatile: Evaporates easily.
- Flammable: Ignites readily when mixed with air.
- High energy content: Releases significant energy when burned.
Common uses:
Gasoline is a complex mixture of hundreds of different hydrocarbons. The specific composition varies depending on factors like the crude oil source, refining process, and desired octane rating.
Octane Rating:
The cetane rating measures a gasoline’s ability to resist “knocking” or “pinging” in an engine. Higher octane numbers generally indicate better performance under high compression conditions.
