formaldehyde

/fɔ:'mældihaid/

Thân thiện

A scientist carefully handles a sealed container of formaldehyde in the laboratory.

Definition

Noun: 1. A colorless, pungent-smelling, poisonous gas: Formaldehyde is a simple organic compound with the chemical formula CH₂O. It is highly reactive and readily dissolves in water. 2. A chemical made by oxidizing methanol: It is produced industrially through the catalytic oxidation of methanol.

Usage and Examples

• Formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant and preservative in laboratories and mortuaries.
• Many building materials, such as plywood and particleboard, can release formaldehyde into the air.
• The strong odor in some new furniture is often due to formaldehyde emissions.

Advanced Usage

• Formaldehyde solution (Formalin): When dissolved in water (typically at 37-40% concentration), formaldehyde is known as formalin, which is commonly used for preserving biological specimens.
  • The tissue sample was stored in a jar of formaldehyde solution.

Variants and Related Words

• Formalin (noun): An aqueous solution of formaldehyde used as a disinfectant and preservative.
• Methanal (noun): The systematic IUPAC name for formaldehyde.

Synonyms

• Methanal (scientific name)
• Formalin (when in aqueous solution)

Notes on Meaning

• The primary meaning refers to the pure chemical compound (CH₂O), which is a gas. In common usage, the term often refers to its solutions (like formalin) or its presence as an emission from materials.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a colorless poisonous gas; made by the oxidation of methanol

Từ đồng nghĩa

• methanal