GASOLINE
WHAT IS GASOLINE?
Gasoline is a complex mixture of over 500 hydrocarbons that may have
between 5 to 12 carbons. Smaller amounts of alkane cyclic and aromatic
compounds are present. Gasoline is most often produced by the fractional
distillation of crude oil. The crude oil is separated into fractions
according to different boiling points of hydrocarbons of varying chain
lengths. Gasoline is used as fuel for internal combustion engines.
BENEFITS
Gasoline is a natural product of the petroleum distillation process that
burns somewhat clean with no thick smoke like diesel fuel and that it
evaporates slowly and most importantly it is a liquid thus, making it
easily transportable/handled unlike pressurized gaseous fuels. Even at
the rapidly rising cost, it is still cheaper than any other fuel
Gasoline has higher energy density than almost any other form of energy -- so gasoline lets vehicles travel further between refills than almost any other form of energy. Many people have cars that only run on gasoline, so it's cheaper to keep buying more gasoline rather than buying a new vehicle that runs on some other form of energy.
Gasoline has higher energy density than almost any other form of energy -- so gasoline lets vehicles travel further between refills than almost any other form of energy. Many people have cars that only run on gasoline, so it's cheaper to keep buying more gasoline rather than buying a new vehicle that runs on some other form of energy.
RISKS
Gasoline is made from a type of petroleum not common in the US (light
sweet crude) and does not burn clean enough even with current high tech
and costly fuel systems. It also exhausts fumes which contain sulfur and
carbon monoxide.
PETROLEUM (Crude Oil)
WHAT IS PETROLEUM?
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring liquid formed in the Earth consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons (mostly alkanes) of various lengths. Petroleum is simply rock oil, or oil that comes from rock. It is a hydrocarbon-based liquid which is sometimes present in porous rocks beneath the earth's surface. This liquid after distillation yields a range of combustible fuels, petrochemicals, and lubricants. Compounds & mixtures of compounds separated from petroleum by distillation include gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, some types of alcohol, benzene, and different grades of lubricating oils.
BENEFITS
Petroleum is a highly compact portable source of energy used for most forms of mechanical transportation. It is also an excellent source of organic molecules for building plastics, medicines, etc.
Petroleum can withstand high heats without breakdown making it useful as lubricants like motor oil and grease. Its certain components make excellent solvents for paint, industrial use etc. Other components make excellent compact source of portable cooking fuel and heating in areas that do not have infrastructure for natural gas delivery. Compared to most other fuel sources, it is still one of the most economical -in other words the costs to produce it are relatively cheap compared to other energy sources.
Petroleum can withstand high heats without breakdown making it useful as lubricants like motor oil and grease. Its certain components make excellent solvents for paint, industrial use etc. Other components make excellent compact source of portable cooking fuel and heating in areas that do not have infrastructure for natural gas delivery. Compared to most other fuel sources, it is still one of the most economical -in other words the costs to produce it are relatively cheap compared to other energy sources.
RISKS
Petroleum is a non renewable resource and there is only very limited supply of it in the world. It is also a highly polluting fuel source that contributes to various pollution problem from combustion of fuel in vehicles to manufacturing waste released into the environment. Fuel prices are also highly fluctuating and can be detrimental the world prices. Oil spills do serious environmental damage that takes decades to recover from. While oil spills do occur naturally, and have over time, the effects are often catastrophic for the area affected. Oil does contain some cancer causing compounds, benzene is one of those. Volatile components of oil and natural gas can contribute to smog. Sulfur in oil ends up in refined fuels and contributes to air pollution.
Petroleum is important because without it, we wouldn't be able to power our cars, since it provides us with transportation fuels. We have less supply due to it being used for daily purposes (ex. transportation).
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