Chemical decomposition

A chemical reaction in which one compound breaks down into two or more simpler substances. Heat, light, or electricity can supply the energy that drives it.

Chemical equation: A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction showing reactants, products, and their relative amounts. It expresses a decomposition reaction by placing one compound among the reactants and simpler substances among the products.
Chemical reaction: A process in which substances are transformed into other substances through rearrangement of atoms. Decomposition is one basic pattern of chemical reaction.
Hydrogen peroxide: A reactive compound with the formula H₂O₂, used as a disinfectant, bleach, and oxidizer. It decomposes into water and oxygen, often accelerated by light or catalysts.
Synthesis reaction: A chemical reaction in which two or more reactants combine to form a single product. It reverses the simple pattern of one compound forming multiple products.
Activation energy: The minimum energy reactant particles need to reach a state from which a reaction can proceed. Heating a compound can provide the energy needed to initiate its decomposition.
Chemical compound: A substance composed of atoms of two or more elements chemically bonded in fixed proportions. A compound is the substance that decomposes into simpler products.
Calcium carbonate: A common mineral compound found in limestone, chalk, and many shells. Heating it produces calcium oxide and carbon dioxide in lime manufacture.
Single-displacement reaction: A reaction in which one element replaces another in a compound. It rearranges components between substances rather than splitting one compound alone.
Chemical kinetics: The study of reaction rates and the factors that control them. Kinetics explains why decomposing compounds react at different rates under different conditions.
Chemical bond: An attractive interaction that holds atoms or ions together in a substance. Decomposition changes the bonding that holds the original compound together.

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