Both gasoline and kerosene have certain advantages for use as turbine fuel. Which statement is true in reference to the advantages of each?

Both gasoline and kerosene have certain advantages for use as turbine fuel. Which statement is true in reference to the advantages of each?

• A. Kerosene has a higher heat energy/value per unit weight than gasoline
• B. Gasoline has a higher heat energy/value per unit volume than kerosene
• C. Kerosene has a higher energy value per unit volume than gasoline
• D. Both fuels have the same energy value per unit volume

Answer: (C)

When comparing turbine fuels, the key idea is energy density per volume—how much energy you get from a liter of fuel. This depends on both how much energy is in each kilogram (specific energy) and how much the fuel weighs per liter (density). Multiply them to get energy per liter. Gasoline has about 46 MJ per kilogram and a density around 0.74 kg/L, which gives roughly 34 MJ per liter. Kerosene is around 43 MJ per kilogram with a density near 0.81 kg/L, yielding about 35 MJ per liter. So kerosene provides more energy per liter than gasoline, making it the better choice when volume is the limiting factor. The other statements don’t fit because energy per kilogram is actually higher for gasoline, and per-liter energy for gasoline is not higher than kerosene, nor are they the same.

When comparing turbine fuels, the key idea is energy density per volume—how much energy you get from a liter of fuel. This depends on both how much energy is in each kilogram (specific energy) and how much the fuel weighs per liter (density). Multiply them to get energy per liter.

Gasoline has about 46 MJ per kilogram and a density around 0.74 kg/L, which gives roughly 34 MJ per liter. Kerosene is around 43 MJ per kilogram with a density near 0.81 kg/L, yielding about 35 MJ per liter. So kerosene provides more energy per liter than gasoline, making it the better choice when volume is the limiting factor.

The other statements don’t fit because energy per kilogram is actually higher for gasoline, and per-liter energy for gasoline is not higher than kerosene, nor are they the same.