A viral post on social media shows a Tuscaloosa woman holding a bottle of a clear liquid that she says isn't water--it's gasoline. Has she been duped by the gas station? What the heck is going on?

Check out the post below from Justyce Thompson; she says the gas at an extremely busy Tuscaloosa service station isn't gasoline at all.

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After I saw this pic on my newsfeed, I wanted to learn more. I thought gasoline was a slightly golden color, but (tbh) I've never really looked at it before. Is gas supposed to be clear--and if not, why?

Motorshark.com explains that gas DOES start out as a clear liquid and should the liquid have a slight color, it's the result of additives:

Many petroleum manufacturers usually add dyes colors to this clear liquid. This helps them differentiate the different grades of gasoline. With this, mishaps in some applications are easily prevented.

Another reason is that it makes it easier for people to test for water contamination. Basically, testing for water would be challenging if all types looked clear.

The reasons for this is because both gasoline and water would look the same. Therefore adding dyes makes the water stand out when in a separation cylinder.

Interesting, right? The crew at Motorshark also notes that gas will be tinted differently based on its octane rating--meaning premium unleaded gas won't look the same as regular. And gasoline that's a deep yellow or orange-hued may be bad news, as the liquid's color will deepen over time.

Without going to the gas station in question, it's hard to determine if their product is faulty. The gas could just be lacking any additives. I would be very interested to see the results of any quality testing.

Have you ever had a similar experience--or has any gasoline ever caused problems with your car? Hit me up with the app chat below and let me know.

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