Did you know the US is the world’s largest gasoline consumer? It consumes approximately 35% of the world’s gasoline supply. The higher gasoline demand might be the reason that its price is higher in the US. But have you ever wondered why is it called “gasoline” instead of something else? The name “gasoline” didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It was carefully chosen to make sure it made sense based on its properties and production.
Gasoline is a transparent, yellowish, and highly flammable liquid derived from the distillation of crude oil. It is a light, volatile liquid that evaporates quickly. So, what is gasoline used for? As a product of refined petroleum, gasoline is energy-dense and primarily used in engines that need a spark to ignite.
The term “gasoline” has an interesting history that traces back to the 19th century. Let’s understand where the word comes from, its role in our lives today, and why it’s used to describe this fuel specifically.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How Did Gasoline Get Its Name?
The word “gasoline” was introduced in 1865. It combines the word “gas” with the chemical suffixes “-ol” and “-ine.” Let’s break down the word to understand it better.
- The term “gas” refers to the volatile nature of the substance.
- “-ol” is a suffix derived from the Latin word “oleum,” which means “oil.” It is used in chemistry to name hydrocarbons.
- “-ine” is the final suffix initially used in the 19th century to create names for chemical derivatives, which were substances extracted through processes like distillation.
When the suffixes were combined with the word “gas,” a new term, “gasoline,” was formed. This complete term reflects both its chemical properties and its origin from refined oil. Residents of the US call it “gasoline,” and they even use the shortened term “gas” to refer to the same fuel. The term “gas” for gasoline was first recorded in American English in 1905.
In the UK and many other countries, gasoline is called “petrol.” The word “petrol” was first used to refer to refined fuel in 1892, though it had previously been used for unrefined petroleum. Carless, a renowned company that makes mineral oil for new cars, gets the credit for originating this new term for gasoline. They worked with Frederick Simms, who needed a special fuel for Gottlieb Daimler’s engines. Carless needed a unique name to keep their product exclusive. They chose “Petrol” after considering several options. Since then, the term “petrol” has been commonly used for gasoline fuel in Britain and other regions.
Gasoline has several other names as well. In Germany and some European countries, it’s called “Benzin.” In Dutch, it’s “Benzine,” while in Swedish and Norwegian, it’s “Bensin.” In Poland, it’s known as “Benzyna.”
The Early Use of Gasoline
In 1861, a small refinery in New Jersey accidentally discovered gasoline while distilling oil for lamps. The operator overheated the oil, producing a volatile, foul-smelling liquid instead of kerosene. Initially called “essence” due to its resemblance to the essence of petroleum, this liquid later became known as gasoline.
The term “gasoline” first appeared in 1865 in the United States, describing this light, volatile liquid from crude oil distillation. Before that, gasoline was considered waste and was either dumped into rivers or used as boiler fuel. However, in the early 1880s, it began to be used as a solvent. Eventually, by the beginning of the 20th century, gasoline became a valuable fuel for engines when cars became more popular and German engineer Karl Benz developed automobiles.
The Role of Gasoline in the Industrial Revolution
Gasoline has a major impact on modern transportation. Its evolution from a by-product to the primary fuel for automobiles represents a key development in the industrial revolution. Gasoline changed the automotive industry, quickly becoming the most widely used motor fuel. Let’s learn how gasoline transformed car engines and drove advancements in transportation.
● Gasoline’s Growth as Engine Fuel
Gasoline became the preferred fuel for internal combustion engines due to its efficiency and high energy content. German engineer Karl Benz built the first gasoline-powered engine in 1879, and by 1892, the first gasoline-powered tractor was made in the US. These remarkable inventions led to gasoline’s prominence in the automotive industry.
● Role of Gasoline in the Development of Modern Transportation
Gasoline proved to be an essential fuel. It played a crucial role in the shift from horse-drawn vehicles to automobiles. Gasoline became so widely used that almost every car on the road used gasoline fuel to power their engines. The exceptional benefits and adoption of gasoline as fuel led automobile manufacturers like Olds Motor Works, Cadillac, and Ford in Detroit to begin producing gasoline-powered cars on a large scale.
● Large-scale Production and Distribution of Gasoline
As production of these vehicles increased in the US, gasoline’s popularity also escalated multiplying its demand and production. Major companies like Standard Oil and Shell expanded their operations to meet the growing need for gasoline. Standard Oil began importing gasoline from Royal Dutch and Shell to address supply shortages in the U.S. Shell being the leader in global gasoline distribution started bulk tanker shipments to Europe from their new sources in Borneo. By 1903, Shell broke Standard Oil’s grip on the British market by increasing its gasoline outlets in London from 15 to over 150.
● Widespread adoption of the term “Gasoline”
When gasoline was accepted as an important fuel for cars, the term “gasoline” became commonly used, especially in the US. The increase in gasoline-powered vehicles and the expansion of fueling stations made the term familiar in everyday language. By the early 20th century, gasoline was heavily advertised and became the standard fuel for cars. This established “gasoline” as the go-to term for automotive fuel and made it a regular part of transportation vocabulary.
The Marketing and Branding of Gasoline
Companies like Standard Oil, Texaco, and Shell introduced gasoline to the public under various brand names. These old gasoline brands helped establish trust and familiarity with consumers and made “gasoline” the go-to fuel. These brands influenced the view of consumers about gasoline and linked it to reliability and modern lifestyles through marketing.
Companies used catchy slogans, memorable logos, and promises of better performance for the branding and advertisement of gasoline. They solely focused on promoting the gas’s quality and efficiency, which is why the gasoline chemical name was not a key part of its marketing and promotion.
Fuel names have evolved due to changes in technology, regional differences, and marketing trends. For example, “gasoline” in the U.S. is called “petrol” in the UK, even though both refer to the same fuel. As new types of fuels like diesel, ethanol, and natural gas emerged, distinct names were needed to differentiate them as well.
Gasoline vs. Petrol
Do you think gasoline and petrol are two different fuels? Many people get confused when distinguishing between gasoline and petrol. Read on to clear up your understanding of gasoline vs. petrol.
● Terminology Differences
Petrol and gasoline do not refer to different kinds of fuels; they are two names for the same fuel. The main difference is regional terminology. In the United States, the term “gasoline” is commonly used, while in the UK and many other countries, it is referred to as “petrol.”
● What is Gasoline Made Of?
Gasoline, also known as petrol, is a blend of hydrocarbons derived from crude oil through a process called distillation. The gasoline chemical formula is generally represented as C n H 2 n + 2 because it is a mixture of various hydrocarbons, including alkanes, cycloalkanes, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The mixture is suitable for internal combustion engines because of its higher flammability and energy density.
● Comparison of Gasoline with other Fuels
Gasoline is used primarily in spark-ignition engines due to its quick evaporation and high energy content. Diesel is a heavier, less volatile fuel used in compression-ignition engines. It is more effective for heavy-duty vehicles due to its higher energy density than gasoline. Ethanol, an alcohol-based fuel, is blended with gasoline to help reduce emissions. Ethanol has less energy than gasoline, but it is renewable and helps lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Key Takeaways
The term “gasoline” was initially referred to as “essence” due to its comparison to the essence of petroleum. It later became known as gasoline and turned into a primary fuel for cars. As cars and transportation evolved, gasoline became an essential energy source that shaped the automotive industry. Today, “gasoline” is a key element in our energy system that fuels various transportation cars and industry equipment.
FAQs
Why is gas called 87?
Gasoline is labeled with numbers such as 87, 89, or 91, which refer to the fuel’s octane rating. In the United States, regular-grade gasoline is labeled with the number 87. This number indicates that the fuel is regular unleaded gasoline with the lowest octane rating.
What was the old name for gasoline?
Initially, gasoline was called “essence” because it resembled the smell of petroleum, the original crude oil from which it was refined. This term described the light, volatile liquid discovered accidentally during refining. Later, when it was recognized as useful for motor fuel, it was specifically named “gasoline” in the US and “petrol” in the UK.
Why is gas still called unleaded?
Unleaded gas is the gasoline that does not contain any lead additives. It was introduced in the 1970s when health concerns about lead were discovered. By January 1, 1996, the United States had completely stopped using leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles. The term “unleaded” is still used today to highlight the absence of harmful lead additives in gasoline.
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