tetrachloromethane
- noun
- /ˌtɛtrəˌklɔːrəˈmɛθeɪn/
- Specialized
:
tetrachlorometano
- Exposure to tetrachloromethane can cause serious liver damage if inhaled or ingested.
Examples
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The laboratory replaced tetrachloromethane with less hazardous solvents for their experiments.
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Tetrachloromethane was once commonly used as a cleaning agent until its health risks became clear.
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The chemical tetrachloromethane is known for its cleaning properties.
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Many industries have shifted away from using tetrachloromethane due to health concerns.
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Tetrachloromethane was widely used in the past as a solvent before its toxic effects were understood.
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Many researchers now avoid using tetrachloromethane in their labs due to its harmful properties.
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The use of tetrachloromethane as a cleaning fluid is largely banned in many countries.
Synonyms
A colorless toxic liquid once used to clean things or put out fires, now avoided because it harms the body
A colorless liquid once used to clean things that is poisonous and now rarely used
Surface Forms
Morphology
tetrachloromethane = chloromethane (semi-transparent) = tetra + chloro + methane
Formation is regular (prefix 'tetra-' applied to 'chloromethane'), but it is a technical chemical name that requires knowledge of chemical combining forms and numeric prefixes.
Etymology
The word tetrachloromethane is made of three parts: tetra- 'four', chloro- 'chlorine', and methane 'a simple carbon gas'. So the name literally says 'methane with four chlorine atoms', which matches its formula CCl4 and helps explain why it was a powerful solvent but is now restricted because it is toxic.
