decomposition

decomposition — noun

1. the natural process by which dead plants, animals, or other organic material bre

1.名詞B2
釋義

the natural process by which dead plants, animals, or other organic material breaks down and rots, helped by bacteria, fungi, and insects, eventually returning nutrients to the environment.

例句

The wet leaves in the garden showed clear signs of decomposition after days of rain.

collocation: signs of decomposition

Zayd turned the compost pile every week to speed up the decomposition of kitchen waste.

collocation: speed up decomposition

同義詞
  • decay

    broader and more common in everyday English; 'decomposition' is preferred in formal or scientific writing

  • rotting

    more informal and specific to organic matter breaking down visibly; 'the rotting of the old fence'

  • putrefaction

    technical term especially for animal tissue decay; far less common in general use

反義詞
  • growth

    decomposition breaks matter down; growth builds it up. 'The growth of new plants replaces what decomposition removes.'

  • preservation

    preventing decay. 'Freezing is a method of preservation that halts decomposition.'

文法句型

decomposition + of + organic matter

用法筆記

Commonly paired with 'undergo', 'speed up', and 'slow down'. Frequently modified by 'natural' and 'rapid'. This sense is the more common everyday meaning of the word.

常見錯誤

❌The fruit underwent decomposition very quickly.
✅The fruit decayed very quickly.
💡For everyday situations about food going bad, 'decay' or 'rot' sound more natural than 'decomposition', which is formal or scientific in tone.
❌The smell came from the decomposition.
✅The smell came from the decomposing material.
💡'Decomposition' names a process, not a physical thing; use 'decomposing material' for the source of the smell.

2. the chemical process in which a compound splits apart to form simpler materials,

2.名詞B2
釋義

the chemical process in which a compound splits apart to form simpler materials, typically through heating, electrolysis, or exposure to light.

例句

Strong heating causes the decomposition of calcium carbonate into lime and carbon dioxide.

thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate

Élise measured the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide during the school chemistry lab.

collocation: rate of decomposition (chemistry)

同義詞
  • breakdown

    less technical and more general; 'the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide' is natural in both everyday and scientific English

  • splitting

    simpler and more informal; best for explaining the idea to beginners: 'splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen'

  • separation

    broader — covers physical as well as chemical separation; less precise for chemical reactions

反義詞
  • synthesis

    the opposite chemical process: building larger molecules from smaller ones. 'Photosynthesis involves the synthesis of glucose from carbon dioxide and water.'

  • combination

    general opposite of separation; 'the combination of hydrogen and oxygen produces water'

文法句型

decomposition + of + substance + into + simpler substances

用法筆記

Subject is often a cause such as heat, light, or electricity. Frequently appears with the modifiers 'chemical', 'thermal', and 'catalytic'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a chemical reaction, not natural decay of living matter.

常見錯誤

❌The chemical decomposition broke the salt into sodium and chlorine.
✅Chemical decomposition breaks salt down into sodium and chlorine.
💡Use 'break down' (phrasal verb) rather than 'broke' to describe a general chemical process, not a single past event.