Before liquid gasoline can support rapid combustion, what must happen?

For liquid gasoline to support rapid combustion, it must first be atomized into a mist. This process involves breaking the liquid gasoline into tiny droplets, which significantly increases the surface area available for combustion. When gasoline is atomized, it is mixed with air in a way that promotes efficient mixing, allowing the fuel to vaporize and mix thoroughly with oxygen before ignition occurs. This is crucial because combustion requires fuel and oxygen to be in a gaseous state to ignite and burn effectively.

Other options, while related to fuel and combustion processes, do not specifically address the necessary condition for gasoline to combust rapidly. Heating gasoline can help it vaporize but is not the primary requirement for rapid combustion to take place. Mixing with additives can improve performance or stability but doesn't directly influence the atomization process. Storing gasoline under pressure can help keep it in a liquid state, but it does not aid in the atomization needed for combustion. Thus, the atomization process is key to enabling gasoline to support rapid combustion.