The Gas Mileage Experiment
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is
to discover a method to save gas and money.
Hypothesis: Due to the extra weight of
gasoline, it is the hypothesis of this experiment that a car will gain more
mileage if it has less gas in it. Therefore, more mileage will occur in a car that
fills it's tank half full twice, then a car that fills it full.
Equipment: For this experiment a car will be
required with a working odometer (mileage thingy) pen and paper, a gas station to
fill the car full of gas, and money to pay for the gasoline.
Procedure: The first step is to fill the car
full of gas, and record the amount of gasoline that enters the car. Reset the
odometer, and proceed in using the car until all the gas is expired. Then split
the original total of gallons that went into the car in half, and fill the car
to that amount, reset the odometer again. Repeat this step when the car uses up
that gas. Finally, add the two totals of the half fills, and compare against
the full filled total of mileage.
Observations:
Measurement Type |
Total Gallons at Fill up |
Total Milage |
Full Fill-up |
12.5 gallons |
341.50 miles |
Half Fill-up #1 |
6.3 gallons |
204.85 miles |
Half Fill-up #2 |
6.2 gallons |
143.55 miles |
Conclusion: In comparing the data , it is
found that a full tank gets 341.5 miles or 27.3 miles/gallon, while two halves
get 349.4 miles or 27.9 miles/gallon, a difference of 5.9 miles or .6
miles/gallon. This small difference leads to the assumption that, even though
the hypothesis is proven true, it is not worth the second trip to the gas
station and henceforth take the convienience of having to fill up just once.
Back to the Scientific AmeriKen Homepage