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t, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH4; marsh gas. See Marsh gas, under Gas. Methane series (Chem.), a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series. The l…

A colorless gas, CH3Cl, of a sweet odor, easily condensed to a liquid; -- called also methyl chloride.

A white crystalline substance forming the ethyl salt of malamic acid.

A nitro derivative of methane obtained as a mobile liquid; -- called also nitrocarbol.

Ethyl oxamate, obtained as a white scaly crystalline powder.

, the amido compounds are derivatives of ammonia, and the hydrocarbons are derivatives of methane, benzene, etc.

(Chem.), the series of the paraffine hydrocarbons and their derivatives; the marsh gas or methane series. -- Natural fats (Chem.), the group of oily substances of natural occurrence, as butter, lard, tallow, etc., as distinguished from certain fatlike substance of artificial production, as paraffin. Most natural fats…

attended by a regular variation in physical properties; as, there is an homology between methane, CH4, ethane, C2H6, propane, C3H8, etc., all members of the paraffin series. In an extended sense, the term is applied to the relation between chemical elements of the same group; as, chlorine, bromine, and iodine are said…

A compound containing only hydrogen and carbon, as methane, benzene, etc.; also, by extension, any of their derivatives. Hydrocarbon burner, furnace, stove, a burner, furnace, or stove with which liquid fuel, as petroleum, is used.

llation and purification of petroleum. It consists chiefly of several hydrocarbons of the methane series.

spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

An instrument, resembling a eudiometer, to detect the presence and amount of methane, as in coal mines.

Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic (thionic) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH2.(SO3H)2, which forms well defined salts.

r wood spirit; also, by extension, the class name of any of the series of alcohols of the methane series of which methol proper is the type. See Methyl alcohol, under Methyl.

A hydrocarbon radical, CH3, not existing alone but regarded as an essential residue of methane, and appearing as a component part of many derivatives; as, methyl alcohol, methyl ether, methyl amine, etc. [Formerly written also methule, methyle, etc.] Methyl alcohol (Chem.), a light, volatile, inflammable liquid, CH3.OH…

free state, but regarded as an essential residue and component of certain derivatives of methane; as, methylene bromide, CH2Br2; -- formerly called also methene. Methylene blue (Chem.), an artificial dyestuff consisting of a complex sulphur derivative of diphenyl amine; -- called also pure blue.

See Nitromethane.

A nitro derivative of methane, analogous to chloroform, obtained as a colorless oily or crystalline substance, CH.(NO2)3, quite explosive, and having well-defined acid properties.

Any one of a group of metametric hydrocarcons (C8H18) of the methane series. The most important is a colorless, volatile, inflammable liquid, found in petroleum, and a constituent of benzene or ligroin.

compound, but is now known to be a complex mixture of several higher hydrocarbons of the methane or marsh-gas series; hence, by extension, any substance, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, of the same chemical series; thus coal gas and kerosene consist largely of paraffins.