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methane Definition

meth·ane (met̸h′ān′)

noun

a colorless, odorless, flammable, gaseous alkane, CH, present in natural gas and formed by the decomposition of vegetable matter, as in marshes and mines, or produced artificially by heating carbon monoxide and hydrogen: it is the simplest alkane and is used as a fuel, a source of carbon black, etc.

Etymology: meth(yl) + -ane

methane Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • emit: What about reports recently that trees emit methane which is more damaging to the environment than CO 2?
  • produce: Effect of food type on methane produced by sheep.
  • generate: EPA were used to estimate the maximum amount of methane generated; EPA guidance.
  • capture: They also include is energy from waste - produced by the incineration of rubbish or from methane captured from landfill sites.
  • destroy: If sunlight is continuously destroying methane on Titan, how is methane getting into the atmosphere?

Adjective modifier

  • coalbed: Of these, all except one were targeted at coalbed methane or mines gas, illustrating the continued interest in these gas resources.
  • atmospheric: In the past two centuries the concentration of atmospheric methane has more than doubled.
  • liquid: These boulders are thought to slow the flow of liquid methane from the west.

Modifies a noun

  • hydrate: Test drilling in the area revealed evidence of an abundance of methane hydrate just waiting to burst free of its watery confines.
  • monooxygenase: Recent work has concentrated on structural analysis of methane monooxygenase ( Buzy et al.
  • seepage: Large quantities of MDAC indicate that methane seepage has occurred over a prolonged period of time.
  • oxidation: Molecular Ecology of Methane Oxidation We have been developing molecular biology techniques to study the ecology of methane oxidizers.
  • emission: In fact, more than a quarter of the total methane emissions in the UK came from landfill in 1997.
  • gas: The city is investigating using methane gas instead of diesel to power the vehicles on a full time basis.

Noun used with modifier

  • coal-bed: They were also, sensibly, keen on coal-bed methane sequestration.
  • coal: Just under half the blocks awarded for license had a coal bed methane or vent gas focus.
  • greenhouse: Cattle produce a large amount of the potent greenhouse gas methane in their stomachs.
  • mine: In addition, Alkane has an attractive pipeline of coal mine methane sites to exploit in the UK to provide organic growth.

Preposition: in

atmosphere: The most obvious feature of the planet in Voyager pictures is its blue color, the result of methane in the atmosphere.

Preposition: from

landfill: Design of emissions trading system for methane from landfill.