What does VOC stand for?

What does VOC stand for?

• A. Volatile organic compound
• B. Volatile oxygen compound
• C. Volatile organic carbon
• D. Vaporized organic compound

Answer: (A)

VOC stands for volatile organic compound. “Volatile” means the substance readily turns into a gas at typical indoor or room temperatures, so it can easily become part of the air you breathe. “Organic” means the compound contains carbon-based molecules, usually with hydrogen and sometimes other elements. Put together, volatile organic compounds are carbon-containing chemicals that evaporate into the air. This includes common indoor sources like solvents, paints, paint thinners, varnishes, nail polish, and many building materials. The best answer uses the standard terminology: volatile organic compound. The other options describe different ideas or use nonstandard phrasing—volatile oxygen compound would imply oxygen-containing gases that aren’t the conventional class of indoor air pollutants; volatile organic carbon changes the meaning by focusing on carbon alone rather than the whole compound; vaporized organic compound uses a different verb form and phrasing that isn’t the accepted term.

VOC stands for volatile organic compound. “Volatile” means the substance readily turns into a gas at typical indoor or room temperatures, so it can easily become part of the air you breathe. “Organic” means the compound contains carbon-based molecules, usually with hydrogen and sometimes other elements. Put together, volatile organic compounds are carbon-containing chemicals that evaporate into the air. This includes common indoor sources like solvents, paints, paint thinners, varnishes, nail polish, and many building materials.

The best answer uses the standard terminology: volatile organic compound. The other options describe different ideas or use nonstandard phrasing—volatile oxygen compound would imply oxygen-containing gases that aren’t the conventional class of indoor air pollutants; volatile organic carbon changes the meaning by focusing on carbon alone rather than the whole compound; vaporized organic compound uses a different verb form and phrasing that isn’t the accepted term.