What's the Difference?

Petroleum/Oil/ Gasoline

Petroleum (or oil) is a thick, flammable, dark liquid. When it's a liquefied form of bitumen (asphalt or a similar substance), it's known as mineral oil; when formed by the decay and compacting, over millennia, of animal and vegetable remains, it's known as crude oil. Petroleum doesn't mix with water and is used for lubricating and combustion; crude oil can be distilled into kerosene, benzene, paraffin, and other substances. Chief among these is gasoline, a flammable liquid used as fuel for internal combustion engines.