Ethylene is a simple but highly useful organic chemical.
Keyword:
polymer
Keyword:
plant
Keyword:
plastic
Keyword:
hydrocarbon
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Layman's explanation:
Ethylene is among the simplest organic compounds. Ethylene is a colorless gas with a pungent smell that can be isolated from oil and natural gas. Plants use ethylene to control ripening and growth. Dimitry Neljubow first discovered this in 1901 in St. Petersburg, Russia when he observed that plants near gas lanterns had abnormally shaped stems and leaves. This made ethylene the oldest known growth regulator. Today farmers use ethylene to promote the ripening of fruits before they are sold in stores. Ethylene is also very important for making plastics. Ethylene is polymerized into polyethylene, a plastic found in many products such as cling wrap, electrical insulation, and pipes. Ethylene is also used to make styrene, which is polymerized to make polystyrene. Polystyrene is best known as Styrofoam, a common component in insulators, floatation devices, and food containers.
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