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Decomposition rates are low under very wet or very dry conditions. Decomposition rates are highest in damp, moist conditions with adequate levels of oxygen. Wet soils tend to become deficient in oxygen (this is especially true in wetlands), which slows microbial growth. In dry soils, decomposition slows as well, but bacteria continue to grow ...
In acidic soil conditions, ammonia will be converted to ammonium ions, which can be used by plants or microbes. Under alkaline conditions, some of the ammonium ions entering soil may be converted back to ammonia. Any remaining ammonium in the environment can undergo nitrification and denitrification to yield nitrate and nitrite. In the absence ...
The climate and temperature in which a corpse decomposes can have great effect on the rate of decomposition; [11] higher temperatures accelerate the physiological reactions in the body after death and speed up the rate of decomposition, and cooler temperatures may slow the rate of decomposition. [11] In summer conditions, the body can decompose ...
Chemical decomposition, or chemical breakdown, is the process or effect of simplifying a single chemical entity (normal molecule, reaction intermediate, etc.) into two or more fragments. [1] Chemical decomposition is usually regarded and defined as the exact opposite of chemical synthesis. In short, the chemical reaction in which two or more ...
Oxygen is required for oxidizing the carbon, the decomposition process. [3] Aerobic bacteria need oxygen levels above 5% to perform the processes needed for composting. [3] Water is necessary in the right amounts to maintain activity without causing locally anaerobic conditions. [1] [3]
The reaction is usually endothermic as heat is required to break chemical bonds in the compound undergoing decomposition. If decomposition is sufficiently exothermic, a positive feedback loop is created producing thermal runaway and possibly an explosion or other chemical reaction. Thermal decomposition is a chemical reaction where heat is a ...
During decomposition, microorganisms require oxygen for their respiration. If anaerobic conditions dominate the decomposition environment, microbial activity will be slow and thus decomposition will be slow. Appropriate moisture levels are required for microorganisms to proliferate and to actively decompose organic matter.
Electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H 2 O) into oxygen (O 2) and hydrogen (H 2): [2] Water electrolysis ship Hydrogen Challenger. Production of hydrogen from water is energy intensive. Usually, the electricity consumed is more valuable than the hydrogen produced, so this method has not been widely used.