Block 4 Gas (gas) in the Ethereum network – is not a token, but a dynamic metric used to measure the cost of actions within the network. Simply put, it is the fee that needs to be paid. This mechanism is essential for protecting the network from overload since its computational power can be utilized for various purposes, but its resources are not infinite.

If we use an analogy, gas can be compared to gasoline (in fact, the term "gas" would be more accurately translated as "fuel"): just as you need gasoline to drive a car, gas is required to perform operations in the Ethereum network. Moreover, depending on the complexity of the operation, different amounts of gas may be required.

Users can set a maximum amount of gas that can be used for a transaction – this is necessary because during periods of high network load, fees can increase significantly, and spending on them may become too costly. The amount of gas allocated for an operation determines its execution priority; therefore, if you spend less gas, you will simply have to wait longer. However, if you set a gas limit that is too low, the operation may take a very long time or even get canceled – so finding the right balance is crucial. You can conveniently monitor gas prices on the portal 👉 Etherscan. 

Instead of direct payment with Ethereum, intermediate gas was introduced to separate the cost of computations required for operations in the network from Ethereum itself – as a result, fluctuations in exchange rates do not affect the network's functionality.