A Couple of “Weight” Questions to Ponder….

Question 1: How Much Does a Gallon of Diesel Fuel Weigh?  

One U.S. gallon of automotive diesel fuel at 76 degrees Fahrenheit and standard atmospheric pressure weighs 6.91 pounds. That’s equal to 110.54 ounces or 3.13 kilograms. 

The density of fuel can change due to heat and pressure, so this number may change slightly in different environments. Colder temperatures and higher pressures increase the weight of a gallon. It doesn’t, however, change too much under normal conditions, so most would agree that the weight of diesel fuel is at approximately 7 pounds per gallon.

This fuel, which looks clear or brown in liquid form, is made by distilling crude oil at high temperatures. Diesel molecules are large yet quite compact, packing more energy into every gallon. Compared to diesel’s roughly 7 pounds per gallon, the same amount of gasoline weighs only about 6.2 pounds. While diesel fuel can release harmful substances into the air when burned, it’s more fuel efficient.  

Question #2: Is the “The Weight” one of the greatest songs in music history?  

This 1968 song, widely accredited to Robbie Robertson of The Band, defies genre, and it doesn’t need one. The song is about a lone traveler’s encounters with several interesting characters in a town called Nazareth, while on a mission to send regards for a woman named Fanny. You can hear country and hear rock and hear blues and hear folk. More importantly, as you listen you understand and feel the journey it takes you on. 

The Weight is filled with really enjoyable instrumentals, biblical undertones and exchanges between the traveler and the town’s characters that leave one wondering. It is masterful storytelling paired with one of the more memorable musical sounds ever recorded.

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Here's the song itself. 

The album it appears on was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.