this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 41 points 23 hours ago (3 children)
[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 19 points 22 hours ago (5 children)
[–] Eagle0110@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

But it was originally derived from coal gas back in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, when the first internal combustion engine for transportation application was being developed.

[–] macaw_dean_settle@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

*Gasoline or diesel. Petroleum has to be refined first before use in a car.

[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website -1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

"Gas" doesnt refer to its state of matter, it's short for gasoline.

Wow, I did not know that! I literally have never heard the word "gasoline" before!

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 5 points 18 hours ago (2 children)
[–] crmsnbleyd@sopuli.xyz 3 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Gasoline is called petrol outside of the US. It is a distinct word from petroleum.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I'm aware that British people think it's called petrol, but you're mistaken if you think that it's only the US that calls it Gasoline. That's the term used for most of the English-speaking Americas, including Canada and many former British colonies like Bermuda and the Bahamas. In fact, if you include Latin America's "gasolina" it's almost the entire Americas. And if you include variants on that name you'll also have to include Japan and Korea. In fact, "gasoline" has even invaded the British isles. Variations of "gasoline" are sometimes used in Welsh, Scots Gaelic and Irish.

But, anyhow, my point was more that "gas isn't even a gas" is as dumb as "petrol isn't even petroleum". "Gas" is just a short form for "gasoline", nobody's suggesting it's in a gaseous state, just like nobody is suggesting that petrol is literally just a short form of petroleum, despite the obvious similarity of the words. This is English, the language where "read" and "read" are two different words pronounced differently. It's no major issue to have "gas" be a short form of gasoline as well as being a state of matter, though it does sound funny if you say something like "gas is a liquid".

[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 3 points 9 hours ago

This is English, the language where "read" and "read" are two different words pronounced differently.

rofl

I'll be saving that one

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 5 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Rich, from the kind of person who thinks there's an F in "lieutenant."

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I'm guessing you pronounce Colonel as Kernel.

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

As if cutting letters and syllables from words to make then more efficient isn't a tradition as old as words, innit?

But adding an invisible consonant? That's insane.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 4 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

It's not because of efficiency or whatever you're trying to say (and saying Kernel literally adds an R), military ranks especially have a long history of crossovers in languages and weirdness in pronunciation and spelling. And all 3 aren't in line.

Like wow it's ok to not know these things, but you shouldn't act all holier than thou. Ciao.

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Fuck's sake, you were taking my comments as serious elitism?

Touch grass, my guy.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

So either 1) you were wrong and now hide, or 2) you're trolling, weirdly at that. Either way, that means you're the one that needs to touch grass. Have at it, ciao.

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 9 hours ago

Ciao.

So you really think that all forms of humor are trolling?

Ciao.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I'm not British - but I am a Physicist.

[–] macaw_dean_settle@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago

Then you should know the difference between petroleum and gasoline.

[–] Zacryon@feddit.org 4 points 22 hours ago

Cookie-Chocolate-Bar

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 22 hours ago

Though probably not intended, my head canon is that OP is referring to how often people misspell it.