On Thu, 27 Apr 1995, sstones wrote:

> On Wed, 26 Apr 1995 7039ckrah@umbsky.cc.umb.edu wrote:
> 
> > Exactly - what is meant by "octane".  Come on you organic chemists -
> > fill me (us) in.
> > 
> > christian
> > 
> 
> Well, like Methane, Ethane, Propane... Octane is a hydrocarbon.
> Meth, Eth, and Pro all denote the number of Hydros attached to the
> carbons (I think Pro is four) Oct is eight...  Just like an Octopus
> has eight cats... or does it eat cats?

Well, it's been years since Organic chem, but....
I think Methane has one Carbon, Ethane two, Propane three etc...
Octane does have eight.  however, the "Octane" in gas is actually some 
branched structured thing not:
			  H H H H H H H H
			H-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-H
			  H H H H H H H H 

It has at least one...maybe two C's coming off at different places.  I 
seem t o remember isooctane.

> Anyway, the octane is more resistant to burning than the gasoline,
> (gasoline is another ___ane, I don't know which, I passed that class
> and forgot everything)  therefore, the higher the octane, the slower
> the fuel will burn off.  This allows the timing to be advanced further
> which in turn allows the flame to be spread throughout more of the 
> combustion chamber at TDC, providing better performance.

I don't know about any of this.  "Damn it Jim!  I'm a biologist, not a 
physical chemist!"

chuck