ethylene

/'eθili:n/

Thân thiện

Ethylene is used to ripen bananas in a controlled environment.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A colorless, flammable hydrocarbon gas: Ethylene is a simple alkene (C₂H₄) with a carbon-carbon double bond. It is a fundamental building block in the petrochemical industry.
   • A plant hormone: In biology, ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that regulates processes such as fruit ripening, flower wilting, and leaf fall.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Industrial Chemical):
  • The factory produces ethylene from natural gas.
  • Polyethylene plastic is made by polymerizing ethylene.
• Noun (Plant Biology):
  • Bananas release ethylene as they ripen.
  • Farmers can control fruit ripening by managing ethylene levels.

Advanced Usage

• "Ethylene glycol": A related compound used as antifreeze. (Note: This is a distinct chemical derivative).
  • The car's radiator contains ethylene glycol to prevent freezing.
• "Ethylene oxide": A sterilizing gas and chemical intermediate derived from ethylene.
  • Medical equipment is often sterilized with ethylene oxide.

Variants and Related Words

• Ethene: The systematic IUPAC name for ethylene.
• Ethyl (adj): A prefix or radical (C₂H₅-) derived from ethane, not ethylene. It is related but denotes a different chemical structure (single bonds).

Synonyms

• Ethene (technical synonym).
• Ripening hormone (contextual synonym in botany).

Related Phrases / Compounds

• Ethylene production: The industrial process of creating ethylene.
• Ethylene signaling: The biochemical pathway in plants involving the ethylene hormone.
• Ethylene cracker: A large industrial facility that produces ethylene from hydrocarbons.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a flammable colorless gaseous alkene; obtained from petroleum and natural gas and used in manufacturing many other chemicals; sometimes used as an anesthetic

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ethene