Gasoline is a liquid fuel made from petroleum that powers most cars, trucks, and motorcycles. When gasoline burns inside an engine, it creates a small, controlled explosion that pushes pistons and turns wheels. This process, repeated thousands of times per minute, is what makes vehicles move.

Gasoline comes from crude oil pumped from deep underground, then refined at special factories that separate it from other petroleum products like diesel fuel and jet fuel. The refining process turns thick, dark crude oil into the clear, amber liquid you see at gas stations. Gasoline has a strong, distinctive smell and evaporates quickly when exposed to air.

For over a century, gasoline has been the primary fuel for transportation, shaping how cities are built and how people live. A typical car might get 25 to 30 miles per gallon of gasoline. However, burning gasoline releases carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere, which is why engineers have developed electric cars and hybrid vehicles that use less gasoline or none at all.

The word is often shortened to gas in everyday conversation: “We need to stop for gas” or “The car is running low on gas.”