Term: cracking
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01387

Definition:
The thermal or catalytic decomposition of a compound such as a hydrocarbon into chemical species of smaller molecular weight.

Related Terms:
1) decomposition (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01547).
2) molecular weight (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M04000).

Source: PAC, 1990, 62, 2167. 'Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990)' on page 2183 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199062112167)

Citation: 'cracking' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01387

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.