Tetrafluoromethane

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A colorless, odorless, very stable gas made of one carbon atom bonded to four fluorine atoms, used in etching and as a refrigerant
2. The chemical compound CF4, a nonflammable gas with a carbon center surrounded by four fluorine atoms, employed in semiconductor etching
3. An extremely stable fluorocarbon gas composed of carbon and fluorine, known for its use in plasma etching and cooling systems

Etymology: Tetrafluoromethane is a systematic chemical name built from parts that each carry a precise meaning. "Tetra-" is Greek for four, "fluoro-" refers to fluorine, and "methane" is the simplest hydrocarbon, CH4. The name says exactly what the molecule is: one carbon atom bonded to four fluorine atoms, with the hydrogens of methane replaced by fluorine. The name follows the logic of IUPAC nomenclature, the system chemists use to name compounds so that a name uniquely describes one structure. Substituent prefixes like "tetra-" and "fluoro-" are attached to a parent name, here "methane," so anyone who knows the parent and the prefixes can reconstruct the molecule. The same pattern produces names such as dichloromethane and trifluoromethane.

Synonyms: carbon tetrafluoride