Duotricontane

/ˌduːoʊˌtraɪkənˈteɪn/ noun

Definition

A hydrocarbon molecule with exactly 32 carbon atoms in its chain.

Etymology

From duo- (Latin 'two') + tri- (Latin 'three') + -contane (from Latin -conta meaning 'thirty'). The name indicates 30 + 2 carbons, following systematic IUPAC nomenclature.

Kelly Says

Duotricontane is a perfect example of how chemistry naming works—each part of the word is like a puzzle, and once you know the system, you can name a molecule with thousands of atoms without ever seeing it, which is how chemists talk to each other globally.

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