why we sell gas by the volume but not mass, unlike in avionics and auto racing?
Planes and race cars care about how much weight they're moving around as it has a significant impact on performance. A plane needs more power to get more weight off the ground so extra mass is a problem for it if you happen to fuel it on a cold day Passenger cars don't care as much about added ma…
The Short Answer
Planes and race cars care about how much weight they're moving around as it has a significant impact on performance. A plane needs more power to get more weight off the ground so extra mass is a problem for it if you happen to fuel it on a cold day Passenger cars don't care as much about added mass, and people know they have a 10 or 12 or 15 gallon fuel tank, not a 64, 96, or 128 pound fuel tank. We generally measure liquids by volume not mass, you can see this with baking instructions too We also don't meticulously temperature control gasoline. Put it in a big underground tank and it'll stay around the same temperature all year long. Even if it does go through temperature swings, it doesn't change in density that much. At 0C gasoline is 1.8% denser than at 15C, and at 30C it is 2% less dense than at 15C, that's not a huge swing
Analysis
Key Concepts: Mass, fuel, tank
This explanation focuses on mass, fuel, tank and spans 154 words across 6 sentences. At 114% above the average Science explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Planes and race cars care about how much weight they're moving around as it has a significant impact on performance.” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 6 connected points.
How This Compares in Science
Ranked #24 of 500 Science questions by answer depth (top 6%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why why we sell gas by the volume but not mass, unlike in avionics and auto racing?
Planes and race cars care about how much weight they're moving around as it has a significant impact on performance. A plane needs more power to get more weight off the ground so extra mass is a problem for it if you happen to fuel it on a cold day…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Science questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 154 words, ranked #24 of 500 Science questions by depth. The key concepts covered are mass, fuel, tank.
What approach does this answer take to explain why we sell gas by the volume but not mass, unlike in avioni?
The explanation uses direct explanation across 154 words. It is categorized under Science and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.