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🔥 Heat breakdown 🩺 Heat treatment
thermolysis

thermolysis

9.9
Breaking a material into simpler parts using heat
  • noun
  • /θɜrˈmɑləsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : termólisis
  • The thermolysis of water produces hydrogen and oxygen gases at high temperatures.

Examples

  • Researchers studied the thermolysis of organic compounds in the laboratory.

  • Industrial processes often use thermolysis to break down complex materials.

  • The process of thermolysis can break down complex compounds.

  • In chemistry, thermolysis is crucial for understanding reactions.

  • The thermolysis of plastic waste can convert it into useful fuels during high-temperature processing.

  • Scientists observed the thermolysis of various compounds to analyze the gas emissions produced under heat.

  • Through thermolysis, researchers can effectively decompose hazardous materials into safer compounds.

Synonyms

pyrolysis
vsthermolysis
  • Specialized
1 9.9

The breaking of materials like wood or plastic by very high heat into simpler parts

has the same meaning but is the general scientific term
calcination
vsthermolysis
  • Specialized
9.9

Heating a substance to a very high temperature so it breaks down or metals react with oxygen

is the general chemical breakdown by heat not limited to oxide formation

Antonyms

synthesis
  • Specialized
20 6.8

Making a chemical by combining simpler substances

Surface Forms

thermolysis singular
thermolyses plural

Morphology

thermolysis = lysis (semi-transparent) = thermo + lysis

The meaning is compositional from thermo- 'heat' plus lysis 'breakdown', but lysis is a technical learned word that many ordinary learners will not know.

Etymology

Thermolysis comes from thermo- 'heat' (like in thermal) and -lysis 'breaking apart'. So thermolysis means 'breaking apart by heat', which explains when a substance is broken down by heating.