Limonene

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/limonene

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical formula?C10H16
2. What is the classification?Cyclic monoterpene
3. What is limonene and why does it smell like citrus?Limonene is a natural compound found in citrus fruit peels that gives them their bright, orange scent. It is a colorless liquid hydrocarbon with a special ring structure.
4. How do we get limonene from oranges and lemons?The oil is extracted from the peels by spinning them (centrifugal separation) or by using steam to vaporize the oils, then collecting the liquid. These methods let us recover a lot of limonene safely.

Cyclic Monoterpene: A class of organic compounds with a cyclic structure, derived from two isoprene units.
Enantiomers: Stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC): Organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature.
Green Chemistry: The design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.