Octane rating

Octane Rating

Octane rating or octane number is a standard measure of the performance of an engine fuel. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating. In broad terms, fuels with a higher octane rating are used in high-performance gasoline engines that require higher compression ratios.

Pronunciation

• UK: /ˈɒk.teɪn ˈreɪ.tɪŋ/
• US: /ˈɑːk.teɪn ˈreɪ.tɪŋ/

Etymology

The term "octane" comes from the compound octane, a major component of gasoline. The "rating" part of the term refers to the measure of a fuel's ability to resist 'knock' or 'pinging' during combustion, measured by a scale or rating.

Related Terms

• Knocking
• Compression ratio
• Gasoline
• Engine fuel
• Octane

See Also

• Cetane number
• Fuel economy in automobiles
• Energy content of biofuel

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Octane rating
• Wikipedia's article - Octane rating

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