HFC

Meaning

1. 1abbreviationcountablechemistry

   Short for hydrofluorocarbon, a man-made gas made of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon, used in refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosols.

   Grammar: Often plural: HFCs are being phased out.

   Patterns

   • HFC in something
   • phase out HFCs

   Many air conditioners once used HFC as their coolant.

   HFCs do not harm the ozone layer but they warm the planet.

   The treaty requires countries to cut HFC production.

Word forms

Common combinations

HFC refrigerant

The shop switched from HFC refrigerant to a greener gas.

phase out HFCs

Governments agreed to phase out HFCs.

HFC emissions

HFC emissions are rising in some countries.

HFC gas

The leaking HFC gas had to be recovered.

HFC and CFC

HFC and CFC both appear in cooling systems.

Synonyms and how they differ

hydrofluorocarbon

Hydrofluorocarbon is the full form, used in formal or scientific writing.

refrigerant

Refrigerant is a broader term for any cooling fluid, while HFC names a specific chemical family.

fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon covers any carbon-fluorine compound, including those without hydrogen.

Word family

hydrofluorocarbon noun

the full name of an HFC

CFC abbreviation

chlorofluorocarbon, an older gas that damages the ozone layer

fluorine noun

a pale yellow reactive gas element

carbon noun

a basic chemical element

Commonly confused: HFC or CFC?

Practice

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