View Full Version : weight of gas?
wiggle
01-06-2002, 05:48 AM
How much does a gallon of gasoline weigh? I asked Jeeves, but couldn't get a straight answer...
Mike2
01-06-2002, 06:35 AM
Gas and water are almost the same weight. My father-in-law taught me that water weighs "a pint a pound the world around."
8 pints to a gallon.
A gallon weighs about 8 pounds.
Colin Crawford
01-06-2002, 06:46 AM
For all practicle purposes I use 8lb per gallon I know the specif gravity of gas is less than water but it is easier to round up and be safe.
Colin
perchjerker
01-06-2002, 06:54 AM
Colin is correct, water is approx 8 lbs per gallon. I am into saltwater aquariums and the subject comes up a lot (people are concerned about all the weight of a large fishtank)
And gas is lighter (it floats on water)
I don't have the exact number right now but will post it when I get it. It is less than water. If memory serves me right it is somewhere closer to 6 lbs./gallon.
SULLY
01-06-2002, 08:42 AM
GAS AND WATER DO HAVE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS! GAS IS AROUND 6.2 LBS PER GALLON AND WATER IS 8.3 LBS PER GALLON. ALOT OF SMALLER RURAL FIRE DEPT'S BOUGHT OLD GALOLINE TRUCKS FOR WATER TANKERS BUT WHEN THEY FILLED THEM UP WITH WATER THE AXELS BROKE. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Very good question. We could ask a hundred people and we'd come up with a hundred different answers. The easiest way to figure it out is to get yourself a plastic gas container, fill it up with gas to one gallon and weigh the two. First, weigh the gas container and then add the gas to it. This will tell you how much it weighs. Ray
Wiggle & all: Gasoline weighs 6.4 lbs per gallon!! This is right out of the flight manual. The reason they are correct is that when figuring the weight and balance in the airplane, you must be sure not to go over the "rated gross weight" of the airplane you are flying. To go "over gross" as they say, may cause the plane not to fly. Not good!! When you do the calculation at differant airports, the density altitude is also important, Hot days make thin air, poor lift. One day a couple of friends and my family were going to Memphis and we had to much luggage, had to unload 25 gallons or she wouldn't take off. Trust me and KEEP FLYING....Kaz
PS Oil is the same, 6.4, water is 8.3 lbs per gal
Data Guy
01-06-2002, 03:50 PM
Weight of One Gallon (U.S.) of
Water, Gasoline, and Ethanol
1 gallon of water equals 8.33 lbs.
1 gallon of gasoline equals 5.8 to 6.5
lbs.
1 gallon of ethanol equals 6.59 lbs.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy. Fuel From
Farms: a Guide to Small Scale Ethanol
Production. May 1980. Page D-3.
Verified by: JT, 9/98
Disclaimer:
While the Library has verified the information presented
in these files in what it considers to be reliable and
authoritative sources, it cannot take responsibility for nor
guarantee the accuracy of the information presented.
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webmaster@santacruzpl.org
Firetiger(MN)
01-06-2002, 04:09 PM
Gas-> 1 gallon = 5.50253 - 5.75265 lbs. at 60° F
River_eye
01-06-2002, 05:06 PM
Kaz, you're a pilot? Do you fly commercially or privately? I'm looking into starting a CPL course this coming fall, it's all I've ever wanted to do since I was a kid.
jim c
01-06-2002, 06:30 PM
Im more interested in why you want to know What!ya workin on?This is the time of year for "PRODJECKS" jim c
jim c
01-06-2002, 06:37 PM
Yes,but which is weighs more 8lbs. of gas or 8 lbs. of water ? jim c
Atomic Eye
01-06-2002, 07:29 PM
Wiggle,
Most organic liquids (like gasoline) weigh about 80% of water (1 gram/cc). So, the fisher folks who say that a gallon of gasoline weighs, sort of, in the region of, about, or approximately 6.4# are right. There can't be much reason that you need to know it much more accurately? A boat that can carry 16 gallons will be hauling ~110# gas, about the same as a small woman.
Atomic Eye -- "Gone Fission!" or is that "Fish-on?"
River: I have a Private IFR licence. I was in the beauty product manufacturing business for 45 years. I sold my business in Dec. of '99 and decided to go fishing and play with ham radio instead. At 63 I'm going to have fun. I still am current and enjoy flying. I found I could get from MIC (Mpls Crystal) near my house to Chicago Miggs or Midway in 2 hours 35 minutes by my self, alot faster than on NWA. Good luck AND FOLLOW YOUR DREAM....Kaz
Husky
01-07-2002, 07:01 AM
..."A boat that can carry 16 gallons will be hauling ~110# gas, about the same as a small woman..."
Atomic, I don't think ANY woman would admit to having 110lbs of gas! :) Sounds like she could be one of the guys!
Pump gas usually goes between .725 and .745 specific gravity after being temperature corrected, at .751 gasoline becomes NHRA illegal as a racing fuel. Now do the math, water is 8 lbs/gal or 1.00 specific gravity. Using .750 as theoretical maximum, 8.0 lbs/gal x .750 = 6.0 lbs/gal. Lighter alcoholic fuels will weigh less, but not much less.
eek
Mike2
01-08-2002, 05:30 AM
Boy - Who would have thought you could get 18 posts out of "how much does gas weigh?".
Must be January
19 posts. Re: eek Water weighs 8.347 lbs/gal.
We better go fishing soon, very soon.