Barney Gaylord, as usual, correctly stated...
Ah, Gordie, you think wrong. Gasoline must vaporize and mix with air to
some extent before it will burn. At temperatures of about -40 degrees
(either F or C) you can actually extinguish a lit match in liquid gasoline
without the fuel burning.
I think that everything requires air to burn, but I could be wrong. I guess
the flame on the top of the coffee can with gas in it is actually the
mixture of the vapors and the air, but for all intents and purposes it
appears to be the liquid gasoline. Point is, no chance of an explosion in
the coffee can. I have put out a match in a jar of gas, albeit quickly.
Holding said match above the liquid indeed causes a flame, but not
(fortunately) an explosion.
Thanks for clarifying Barney.
Gordie
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