What is the full chemical name of the insecticide DDT?

Prepare for the Comprehensive Entomology Exam with detailed quizzes on Morphology, Behavior, Evolution, and Pest Management. Dive into multiple-choice questions with solutions and explanations to boost your understanding. Get ready to ace your entomology test!

Multiple Choice

What is the full chemical name of the insecticide DDT?

Explanation:
Names of chlorinated pesticides like DDT encode their structure: two phenyl rings (diphenyl) with chlorine substitutions (dichloro) attached to a trichlorinated ethane backbone. So the full chemical name dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane precisely describes both rings and the three chlorines on the ethane, which is why it is the correct full name for DDT. The other options either alter the placement or number of chlorines on the rings or the ethane, or use nonstandard wording, which doesn't match the established structure of DDT.

Names of chlorinated pesticides like DDT encode their structure: two phenyl rings (diphenyl) with chlorine substitutions (dichloro) attached to a trichlorinated ethane backbone. So the full chemical name dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane precisely describes both rings and the three chlorines on the ethane, which is why it is the correct full name for DDT. The other options either alter the placement or number of chlorines on the rings or the ethane, or use nonstandard wording, which doesn't match the established structure of DDT.

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