In the
US,
Australia, and a number of other countries, "white gas" refers to
a
liquid hydrocarbon mixture similar to
gasoline
(US) and
petrol (Australia), but which is less
volatile, consisting of mostly
hexanes and
heptanes, whereas gasoline has a significant amount of
pentanes in it.
Also, gasoline sold for use in
cars is full of additives not found in white gas.
In some countries,
"white spirit" means the same thing, but in the
UK and also to some extent
in
New Zealand, that term is used for
a type of
paint thinner.
Coleman fuel is very similar to white gas, and
can usually be used where white gas is called for.
A typical use of white gas is in portable stoves for camping and backpacking. White
gas also makes a good fuel for fire spinning.