Ethene

Ethene is the simplest alkene, with formula C₂H₄ and a carbon–carbon double bond. It is a colorless gas and a major feedstock for making polyethylene.

Alkene: An unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon–carbon double bond. Ethene is the simplest member of this hydrocarbon family.
Polyethylene: A polymer made from repeating ethene-derived units, widely used in packaging, containers, pipes, and films. Ethene polymerization produces the world's most widely used plastic.
Alkane: A saturated hydrocarbon whose carbon atoms are connected only by single bonds. Ethane, ethene's hydrogenated counterpart, belongs to this contrasting family.
Polymerization: A chemical process in which small molecules join to form larger molecules with repeating structural units. Ethene's addition polymerization enables polyethylene manufacture at vast scale.
Pi bond: A covalent bond formed by sideways overlap of parallel orbitals, with electron density above and below the internuclear axis. Its π bond makes ethene's double bond reactive toward addition.
Ethylene oxide: A reactive cyclic ether used chiefly to make ethylene glycol and other chemicals. Ethene is oxidized industrially to produce this major chemical intermediate.
Ethane: A saturated hydrocarbon with formula C₂H₆ and a single bond between its carbon atoms. Adding hydrogen to ethene removes the double bond and yields ethane.
Plastic pollution: The accumulation of plastic materials in the environment, where they persist and affect ecosystems. Discarded polyethylene made from ethene contributes to this widespread pollution.
Planar molecule: A molecule whose atoms lie in a single geometric plane. Ethene's carbon atoms and four hydrogens lie in one plane.
Ethylene glycol: A diol used mainly in antifreeze and as a feedstock for polyester production. Ethene can be converted through ethylene oxide into this industrial chemical.

Linked from 11 pages