Ethanol is commonly used as a substitute for gasoline.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It has no energy content
• D. Only used in diesel engines

Answer: (A)

Ethanol is a renewable biofuel produced from plant materials, and in transportation it’s commonly used to replace part of the gasoline supply or to replace gasoline entirely in engines designed for it. It’s blended with gasoline to form fuels such as E10, E15, or E85, allowing ethanol to partially or largely substitute for petroleum. This practice helps reduce dependence on imported oil and can lower certain emissions, especially in vehicles that are designed to handle ethanol blends (flex-fuel vehicles). It’s important to note that ethanol does have energy content—less per gallon than gasoline—so fuel economy can differ, and engines must be compatible with ethanol blends. It is not true that it has no energy content, nor that it’s used only in diesel engines.