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Thermal decomposition - what on earth is that?
Well, how about if we tell you that thermal means heat and decomposition means breaking down.
Thermal decomposition reactions take place at very high temperatures.
A compound is heated and the heat causes it to break down into two or more chemical substances.
It is quite common for these reactions to take place. When you bake cakes, the baking soda you add along with your other ingredients thermally decomposes to help your cakes rise because one of the substances that is released is carbon dioxide gas!
Would you like some interesting facts about thermal decomposition? Of course you would!
1. In a thermal decomposition reaction, there is only one reactant.
Reactants are the chemicals that are put into a chemical reaction - in other words the chemical that is heated up in a thermal decomposition reaction.
2. In a thermal decomposition reaction, there are always two or more products.
Products are the chemicals that are made as a result of the chemical reaction
If you're not too hungry from looking at the chocolate cake above, let's have a go at some questions.
