-Key properties: High volatility, low viscosity, high energy density
Kerosene is a flammable liquid made from crude oil. It is also known as paraffin or jet fuel. Kerosene is used as a fuel for various applications, including heating buildings, powering jet engines, and lighting camping lanterns.
-Key properties: Lower volatility, higher viscosity, lower energy density than gasoline
Diesel is a combustible liquid fuel that is denser than gasoline and kerosene. It is used to power compression-ignition engines, which are the most common type of engine in trucks, buses, and boats. Diesel engines are less polluting than gasoline engines, but they also produce more emissions.
-Key properties: Non-volatile, even higher boiling point and viscosity, highest energy density
The main differences between gasoline, kerosene, and diesel are in their boiling points, viscosities, and energy densities. Gasoline has a low boiling point and is therefore highly volatile, making it ideal for use in spark-ignition engines. Diesel has a high boiling point and is therefore less volatile, making it well-suited for use in compression-ignition engines.