Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
hydrofluorocarbon

hydrofluorocarbon

7.5
A chemical used in refrigerators and air conditioners that traps heat in the air when released
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪdroʊflʊəroʊˈkɑːrbən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hidrofluorocarbono
  • The environmental impact of hydrofluorocarbons has led to international agreements for their reduction.

CFCS have been widely replaced with hydrofluorocarbons, HFCS for short.

Examples

  • Many countries are phasing out hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

  • CFCS have been widely replaced with hydrofluorocarbons, HFCS for short.

    Sabine Hossenfelder

  • So it's carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and the hydrofluorocarbon, the industrial industrial gases.

  • The replacement, known as R-410A, is an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) rather than an HCFC.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Hydrofluorocarbons are commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioning systems.

Synonyms

HFC
vshydrofluorocarbon
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A gas used in refrigerators and air conditioners that makes the climate warmer

is the full written form rather than the shortened abbreviation

Surface Forms

hydrofluorocarbon singular
hydrofluorocarbons plural

Morphology

hydrofluorocarbon = fluorocarbon (semi-transparent) = hydro + fluoro + carbon

The word is formed by adding hydro- to fluorocarbon, but the meaning is technical and not readily inferable for an average learner.

Etymology

The word hydrofluorocarbon breaks into hydro- 'water' (as in hydrogen), fluoro- 'fluorine' (as in fluoride in toothpaste), and carbon, so it names a chemical made of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon. That's why hydrofluorocarbons are used as refrigerants and can be released by factories, affecting the air.