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CFC

CFC

10 4.2
A man-made gas used in sprays and fridges that damages the ozone layer
  • noun
  • /ˌsiːˌɛfˈsiː/
  • Specialized
translation icon : clorofluorocarbono
  • Moreover, industry continues to add CFCs to the atmosphere at a rate of five to ten percent per year.
  • chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
  • CFC use
  • CFC production

This group of chemicals is called chlorofluorocarbons, CFCS for short.

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Examples

  • Laboratories around the country are investigating products that will limit the impact of CFCs and halons on the ozone layer.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Hawaii has restricted the sale of air-conditioning refrigerants containing CFCs and requires air-conditioner repair shops to use machines that recycle CFCs.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I am old enough to remember the devastating effects of the CFC phase-out where automotive AC is concerned.

    Blog text (3)
  • Thus, millions of tons of previously produced CFCs are already en route to the stratosphere.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Many vehicles also use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are released when cars are destroyed.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The major source of atmospheric CFC-11 and CFC-12 is the aerosol spray can, which uses these chemically inert gases as propellants.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Car air conditioners are a big source of CFCs that leak into the atmosphere.

  • Once in the stratosphere, a single CFC molecule can destroy more than 100,000 ozone molecules.

  • When they get into the upper atmosphere, CFCs destroy the ozone that protects us from ultraviolet radiation.

Synonyms

Freon
vsCFC
  • Specialized
8 6.5

A man-made chemical used to cool air or push spray from cans

refers to that chemical class itself rather than a brand name
chlorofluorocarbon
vsCFC
  • Specialized
8.4

A gas used in old fridges and spray cans that damages the ozone layer

is the abbreviation form commonly used as a short label

How Ozone-Damaging

CFC
  • Specialized
10 4.2
HCFC
  • Specialized
6.8
HFC
  • Specialized
1 6.9

Surface Forms

CFC singular
CFCs plural

Morphology

CFC = chlorofluorocarbon (semi-transparent) = C + F + C

CFC is an initialism of a technical compound name; the form is clearly derived but comprehension requires domain knowledge of chemistry.

Etymology

CFC is a short name made from the first letters of the chemical parts chloro ('chlorine'), fluoro ('fluorine') and carbon, so it names gases made of carbon, chlorine and fluorine. These CFC gases were used in fridges and spray cans but damage the ozone layer, which is why they were banned in many countries.