White gas is a common name for two flammable substances. In its most common modern usage, it is used as a generic name for camp stove and lantern fuel, usually naphtha.
White gasoline, also called white gas, can also be a name for pure gasoline, without additives. This was commonly used when leaded gasoline was the norm, to prevent fouling in situations where the properties of the tetraethyl lead additive were not required.
Fuel dyes, "White" gas is colorless, as opposed to "regular" octane fuel, which has orange dye added for identification, or high-octane "ethyl", which has purple dye added.
White gas should not be confused with white spirit, which is more akin to kerosene.
Famous quotes containing the words white and/or gas:
“The Thirties dreamed white marble and slipstream chrome, immortal crystal and burnished bronze, but the rockets on the Gernsback pulps had fallen on London in the dead of night, screaming. After the war, everyone had a car—no wings for it—and the promised superhighway to drive it down, so that the sky itself darkened, and the fumes ate the marble and pitted the miracle crystal.”
—William Gibson (b. 1948)
“one pale woman all alone,
The daylight kissing her wan hair,
Loitered beneath the gas lamps’ flare,
With lips of flame and heart of stone.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)