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Glite Dictionary
calcium carbide

calcium carbide

6.0
A hard gray chemical that makes acetylene gas when it touches water and is used in industry
  • noun
  • /ˈkæl.si.əm ˈkɑːr.baɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : carburo de calcio
  • When calcium carbide reacts with water, it produces acetylene gas.

Examples

  • Miners once used calcium carbide lamps for illumination underground.

  • Improper storage of calcium carbide can be dangerous due to its reactivity with moisture.

  • The factory produces calcium carbide for welding operations.

  • Have you ever used calcium carbide in your experiments?

  • When calcium carbide reacts with water, it produces acetylene gas, which is used for welding.

  • In the mining industry, calcium carbide is utilized to create acetylene for lighting in underground tunnels.

  • Calcium carbide can be safely stored in a dry environment, as it reacts with moisture to generate flammable acetylene.

Surface Forms

calcium carbide singular
calcium carbides plural

Morphology

calcium + carbide

The term is a systematic chemical compound name formed by the element 'calcium' + 'carbide' (a carbon-containing compound), so a learner who knows those constituents can infer it refers to a compound of calcium and carbon used in industry. This follows regular, transparent naming patterns in chemistry (element + type of compound) rather than an idiomatic or metaphorical meaning.

Etymology

Calcium carbide is named from its two parts, with calcium a metal and carbide a kind of carbon compound. Picture miners dropping water on a lump of calcium carbide to make 'acetylene' gas for a lamp—this clear image shows why the name fits what the substance does today.