Petrol vs. Gasoline

Main Difference

The main difference between petrol and gasoline is that the term ‘petrol’ is used in the UK, India and some other places and ‘gasoline’ (gas) is used in the United States.

Difference Between Petrol and Gasoline

Comparison Chart

Petrol vs. Gasoline

Petrol and gasoline are the two different terms for the same fuel which is used in an internal combustion engine. Petrol and gasoline are different words with the same thing. Petrol and gasoline have the same meaning, but there is a difference in the places where the words are used. The term ‘petrol’ is used in the UK, India and a few other places. Gasoline or gas is used in the United States. Petrol also is known as gasoline, which is a transparent fuel derived from crude oil. It is used as fuel in internal combustion engines. Gasoline, also is known as petrol, is a fossil fuel that consists of a mixture of several hydrocarbons and some other impurities in their gaseous, liquid, and solid states. In the process of creating petrol drilling for crude oil takes place. The oil is drilled from the ground. It is then sent to a refiner. Then heat separates different products at their boiling points. The oil is then sent through the distillation process. In the distillation process, it is applied with heat and pressure that causes a chemical reaction. The application of this heat and pressure at the refinery determines if the product becomes petrol or diesel. After the distillation process, the fuel is blended with additives. These additives help in improving the quality of the fuel. The origin of gasoline/petrol is petroleum oil, also known as crude oil. The creation of gasoline is also the same as petroleum. It is isolated from the crude oil by fractional distillation. Petroleum and gasoline are widely consumed in the industrial world.

What is Petrol?

Petrol is the fuel which is used in an internal combustion engine. The term ‘petrol’ for this fuel is used in the UK, India and a few other places. Petrol is also known as gasoline or gas. It is a transparent fuel derived from crude oil. It is used as fuel in internal combustion engines. Gasoline, also is known as petrol, is a fossil fuel that consists of a mixture of several hydrocarbons and some other impurities in their gaseous, liquid, and solid states. In the process of creating petrol, drilling for crude oil takes place. It derives from petroleum oil. The liquid is so clear and less dense than water with a relative density of nearly 0.75kg/L. The oil is drilled from the ground. It is then sent to a refiner. Then heat separates different products at their boiling points. The oil is then sent through the distillation process. In the distillation process, it is applied with heat and pressure that causes a chemical reaction. The application of this heat and pressure at the refinery determines if the product becomes petrol or diesel. After the distillation process, the fuel is blended with additives. These additives help in improving the quality of the fuel. The primary application of petrol is to use as fuel in internal combustion engines of different machines and automobiles. Petrol is not one compound but a mixture. Its contents can slightly vary depending on the purification steps used, extraction methods, and additives added. Petrol contains many organic compounds such as isooctane, butane, and ethyl toluene. Other impurities Apart from the main components may be present in small fractions, e.g., octane enhancers like MTBE.

What is Gasoline?

Gasoline is a fuel typically used in an internal combustion engine. The term gasoline is used in the United States. It is also known as gas. Gasoline, also is known as petrol, is a fossil fuel that consists of a mixture of several hydrocarbons and some other impurities in their gaseous, liquid, and solid states. The process of creating gasoline includes the drilling for crude oil. It derives from petroleum oil. This liquid is so clear and less dense than water with a relative density of nearly 0.75kg/L. The oil is drilled from the ground. It is then sent to a refiner. Then heat separates different products at their boiling points. The oil is then sent through the distillation process. In the distillation process, it is applied with heat and pressure that causes a chemical reaction. The application of this heat and pressure at the refinery determines if the product becomes petrol or diesel. After the distillation process, the fuel is blended with additives. These additives help in improving the quality of the fuel. The gasoline engines convert chemical energy from a fuel into mechanical energy through a series of explosions. Gasoline engines use lower compression ratios to avoid fuel auto-ignition (engine knocking). The higher compression ratios lead to higher thermal efficiencies and better fuel economies.

Explosion Process in a Gasoline Engine

1. Intake stroke: fuel is mixed with air
2. Compression stroke: piston goes up, a mixture of fuel and air is compressed
3. Ignition stroke: fuel/air is ignited through the use of a spark plug
4. Exhaust stroke: piston goes up, pushes exhaust through the exhaust valve

Conclusion

Petrol and gasoline are the two fuels that are typically used in the internal combustion engines of the automobiles and various other machines. Both are interchangeable terms and only different in names because of these names given by different people belonging to different areas.