Gasoline, gas, or petrol (see the etymology for naming differences) is a clear petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a
fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. On average, a 42-U.S.-gallon (160-liter) barrel of
crude oil can yield up to about 19 U.S. gallons (72 liters) of
gasoline after processing in an oil refinery, depending on the
crude oil assay and on what other refined products are also extracted.
The characteristic of a particular
gasoline blend to resist igniting too early (which causes knocking and reduces efficiency in reciprocating engines) is measured by its octane rating, which is produced in several grades. To increase octane rating, Tetraethyl lead and other lead compounds are no longer used in most areas (they are still used in aviation and auto-racing). Other chemicals are frequently added to
gasoline to improve chemical stability and performance characteristics, control corrosiveness and provide
fuel system cleaning.
Gasoline may contain oxygen-containing chemicals such as ethanol, MTBE or ETBE to improve combustion.
Relevant Topics in General Science
