methyl ethyl ketone
1
8.6
- noun
- /ˈmɛθəl ˈiːθəl ˈkiːtoʊn/
- Specialized
:
metiletilcetona
- Many manufacturers rely on methyl ethyl ketone for its effectiveness in thinning resins.
Examples
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Methyl ethyl ketone is commonly used as a solvent in paints and coatings.
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In the county where one of Environment's editors grew up, 19,802 pounds of suspected kidney toxicants are released annually into the air, primarily from two facilities and primarily in the form of methyl ethyl ketone.
Academic text (2001) -
When cleaning surfaces, methyl ethyl ketone helps remove stubborn adhesives and grime.
Synonyms
A clear liquid that can catch fire and is used to dissolve paint and glue
How Flammable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound name is fully compositional: knowing 'methyl' and 'ethyl' as chemical groups and 'ketone' as a class of organic compound allows a learner to infer this is a specific ketone containing methyl and ethyl substituents. While detailed properties (e.g. solvent use, flammability) require domain knowledge, the basic referent (a particular chemical substance) is transparently derived from the constituents.
Etymology
Methyl ethyl ketone gets its name from the chemical parts that make it: a small methyl part and a slightly larger ethyl part joined to a ketone core, so the name is like a short picture of the molecule. That's why the name helps you remember it is a simple 'solvent' used to dissolve paints and cleaners.