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Gasoline
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<p>Gasoline or petrol (<a href="/facts/English_in_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations/FfHnv1CT">Commonwealth English</a>) is a <a href="/facts/Petrochemical/mzYsaxng">petrochemical</a> product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and <a href="/facts/Flammable_liquid/D6txQYNY">flammable liquid</a> normally used as a <a href="/facts/Fuel/H8DIRL1j">fuel</a> for spark-ignited <a href="/facts/Internal_combustion_engine/Ju4BXzj0">internal combustion engines</a>. When formulated as a fuel for <a href="/facts/Petrol_engine/oj3XzkQU">engines</a>, gasoline is chemically composed of <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">organic compounds</a> derived from the <a href="/facts/Fractional_distillation/DdNf0k8I">fractional distillation</a> of <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a> and later chemically enhanced with <a href="/facts/Gasoline_additive/oqYFx3H3">gasoline additives</a>. It is a high-volume profitable product produced in crude oil refineries. </p><p>The ability of a particular gasoline blend to resist premature ignition (which causes <a href="/facts/Engine_knocking/k9rhaaYD">knocking</a> and reduces efficiency in <a href="/facts/Reciprocating_engines/ItLAxmW3">reciprocating engines</a>) is measured by its <a href="/facts/Octane_rating/LqkAlYbq">octane rating</a>. <a href="/facts/Tetraethyl_lead/M33pHTTX">Tetraethyl lead</a> was once widely used to increase the octane rating but is not used in modern automotive gasoline due to the <a href="/facts/Lead_poisoning/STwlKj7c">health hazard</a>. Aviation, off-road motor vehicles, and <a href="/facts/Racing_car/0ErdCCV3">racing car</a> engines still use leaded gasolines. Other substances are frequently added to gasoline to improve chemical stability and performance characteristics, control corrosion, and provide fuel system cleaning. Gasoline may contain oxygen-containing chemicals such as <a href="/facts/Ethanol/3lCLfBSP">ethanol</a>, <a href="/facts/MTBE/A0nL0kHv">MTBE</a>, or <a href="/facts/ETBE/eocybh5g">ETBE</a> to improve <a href="/facts/Combustion/ohQoWj8z">combustion</a>. </p>