Ahh, the good ol equation of gasoline combustion - that brings back chilling haunting nightmares of class. He wanted a physical explination of what happens to the gas on a subatomic level, I believe. Something like:

With the extra flow of electrons in the area, the valience electrons of hte atoms in the gasoline molecules are thrown out of balance and the atom gains a charge. Blah, blah, blah blah and all that crap that I haven't studied since highschool Chemistry.