to crack
- verb
- /kræk/
- Specialized
- To improve fuel efficiency, scientists aim to crack heavier oils into lighter, more usable products.
Examples
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So obviously we really need to crack the structures of these and understand how the structure informs function.
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Urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which cracks the urea into nitrogen, water, and hydrogen.
Blog text (33) -
The chemist used heat to crack the complex molecules into simpler forms during the experiment.
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In petroleum processing, they typically crack large hydrocarbons to produce gasoline and other fuels.
Synonyms
To make something separate into smaller parts by a chemical process
Antonyms
Idioms
To use much more effort or help than needed to do a small task
- Informal
To use far more force or effort than needed for a small task
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- Offensive
An offensive word for a woman who exchanges sex for crack cocaine, often because she is addicted
- Specialized
A vertical crack on the inside of a horse's front hoof that can make the horse limp
- Jargon
A visible straight line that appears down the middle of the belly from strong stomach muscles
How Fine
Surface Forms
Etymology
In chemistry the verb crack means to break large molecules into smaller ones, and it uses the simple idea of 'break'. So to 'crack' oil is to split it into smaller parts.