Decomposition

Decomposition. 1. In Chemistry, the splitting up of a compound into simple components by physical agents. In a wider sense the term is extended to interactions between two or more substances in which some of the resulting products are simpler than the reacting bodies, and so includes the greater number of chemical reactions. Decompositions may be divided into two classes - (1) Endothermic, in which, energy being absorbed, the continuous application of heat is necessary; (2) Exothermic, in which heat is evolved, and which, once started, do not require its application for their maintenance. These latter may be accompanied by explosion, which is never a feature of the endothermic decompositions. 2. In Mathematics, signifies the splitting up into components. Such a process is applicable to all such quantities as admit of addition in any general sense. Thus we may have a system of forces acting in various lines; these usually have a definite resultant, which we may regard as the quantity obtained by adding together the various constituents of the system. Then conversely we may say that this resultant may be decomposed into those several constituents. Such decomposition is exemplified in the article Force-polygon.