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Gasoline Combustion Processes
Gasoline is an organic chemical compound that is derived from oil products. It is a stable hydrocarbon chain that is a liquid at room temperatures and standard pressure. However when an energy source is added to gasoline the chemical bonds within it break down in a self-sustaining reaction that emits heat energy and gaseous byproducts. The energy is translated by mechanical attachments to the drive shaft which turns the axle and via it the tires, providing propulsion.
Diesel Combustion Processes
Diesel, like gasoline, is a saturated hydrocarbon derived from oil products and so is an organic chemical. It contains more potential energy per unit than gasoline but also needs additional energy input in order to ignite. Diesel can be refined from biological materials and used in an internal combustion to provide propulsion in a similar fashion as gasoline. Diesel propulsion is more commonly used in heavy duty vehicles like tractors, ships and military vehicles.
Rocket Fuel Combustion Processes
Rocket fuel can be composed of many different chemicals, from unstable nitrous oxides to simple liquefied hydrogen and oxygen. Not derived from organic molecules, rocket fuel of any type is far more reactive than gasoline and similar hydrocarbons and provides far more heat energy when combusted. Many rocket fuels are extremely unstable and prone to explode in a standard atmosphere. They are simply reacted inside a fuel tank to generate a large explosion which is vented out the back end of the rocket. This provides kinetic energy to the rocket and is the driving propulsive force that launches spacecraft.
Byproducts of Combustive Processes
Many combustion processes used for propulsion generate byproducts that are either toxic or harmful to the environment. Gasoline and diesel when combusted generate carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as the carbon-carbon bonds within the carbon chains break and bond with oxygen. Carbon dioxide has been identified as a greenhouse gas and contributes to the global climate. Carbon monoxide is lethal to humans and most animals in sufficient concentrations. Rocket fuels can generate highly dangerous byproducts in some cases, but the common use of liquefied hydrogen in conjunction with excess oxygen produces only water vapor.