Decahydronaphthalene

/ˌdɛkəˌhaɪdroʊˈnæfθəˌlin/ noun

Definition

A liquid hydrocarbon compound formed by adding ten hydrogen atoms to naphthalene, used as a solvent and in industrial applications.

Etymology

From deca- (ten) + hydro- (hydrogen) + naphthalene (a two-ring aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar). Also called tetralin in shortened form, this compound was developed to create a stable liquid from naphthalene.

Kelly Says

Decahydronaphthalene is a mouthful, but it's actually a practical chemical used in dry cleaning and as a paint thinner—it shows how chemistry creates long chemical names by literally describing the atoms in the molecule!

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