Gasoline and diesel oil are both mixtures of dozens of different

hydrocarbons. However, the hydrocarbon molecules in gasoline have less

carbon atoms and boil at lower temperatures than do the hydrocarbons in
diesel oil.
The hydrocarbons in gasoline have from 5 to 11 carbon atoms, and have a
boiling point temperature range from 100 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
The hydrocarbons in diesel oil have from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and have a
boiling point temperature range from 35 to ! degrees Fahrenheit.
Gasoline also has a lighter specific gravity "about .#$% than diesel oil
"about .&5%.
OCTANE Numers!
The octane number is a measure of the anti'noc' (uality of gasoline ... in
other words, the ability of the gasoline to resist 'noc'ing when it is burned in
an automobile engine. )ure iso*octane has been designated as having an
octane number of +.
"amples of gasoline are tested by running them in a single*cylinder engine
mounted in a laboratory. For example, if a gasoline,s anti'noc' performance
during the test is &5 percent as good as the performance of pure iso*octane in
the same test, then that gasoline is said to have an octane number of &5.
There are t#o different sets of engine operating conditions used during the
tests to measure the octane number of a gasoline. -ne set of conditions is
used to determine the so*called .esearch octane number "$ON%, and another
set of conditions is used to determine the so*called /otor octane number
"%ON%. The average of the $ON and %ON is abbreviated to ". 0 /%1$ and
that is the octane rating usually posted at service stations in the 23.
CETANE Numers4
3imilarly, the cetane number of a diesel fuel is a measure of how well that fuel
performs "in a laboratory*mounted, one cylinder, 5 stro'e cycle, continuously
variable compression ratio diesel engine% relative to the performance of pure
cetane in that same engine. &iesel fuel cetane numbers typically range from
about 55 to 53.
The octane numer of a gasoline and the cetane numer of a diesel fuel
can not be calculated. They must be measured as described above.
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'$(EN&)* &("C+""(ON"!
7ll of the hydrocarbons in gasoline are mutually fully soluble in each other
"i.e., the mixture is completely homogeneous% and there should be no
separation out of a clear li(uid.
8f you live in an area where 9gasohol9 is mar'eted, that is a blend of gasoline
and ethyl alcohol... and the alcohol will settle out under certain conditions.
)erhaps, that is what is happening.
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7nother sort of related (uestion... 8 was wondering what happens when
gasoline separates. 8,ve noticed that when 8 buy gas for the lawn mower and
let it sit too long, it separates. 8 was wondering how and what separates. :hat
is the clear li(uid;
<ery interesting. 8 have never heard of that. However, since gas is a mixture of
different H=,s, each having a different molecular weight " i.e. it,s a
heterogeneous solution%, then 8 guess it,s natural for it to separate a bit. >o
problem with water or rubbing alcohol because they are homogeneous
solutions.
-ver period of time, gasoline can oxidize and polymerize and then can form $
layers. These reactions are catalyzed by copper and also by exposure to
sunlight. 8,ve seen gasoline "not gasohol% in a glass ?ar exposed to sunlight
form $ layers surprisingly (uic'ly "a few days at most 8 thin'% whereas other
gasoline in a ?ar exposed to the atmosphere in the dar' did not form $ layers
after & months.