Question

select the correct answer.

read the sentences from paragraph 3.

3 as the spacecraft plunges deeper into the atmosphere, where the air is denser, a tremendous amount of energy is released as heat. this forces the gas molecules to dissociate. a spacecraft without a heat shield, like these expendable cargo vehicles, experiences the same heating, vaporizing the solid material.

what is the meaning of the word dissociate as it is used in the excerpt?

separate
multiply
expand
solidify

Explanation:

Analyze the context clues

The text states that as a spacecraft plunges into denser air, "a tremendous amount of energy is released as heat. This forces the gas molecules to dissociate." In chemistry and physics, extreme heat causes molecules to break apart into smaller components (atoms or simpler molecules).

Evaluate the options

• "separate": To break apart or disconnect, which aligns with molecules breaking down under high energy.
• "multiply": To increase in number, which does not describe the physical breakdown of a single molecule's chemical bonds.
• "expand": To grow larger in volume, which is a macroscopic gas behavior rather than the molecular process of dissociation.
• "solidify": To become solid, which is the opposite of what happens to gases under extreme heat (which vaporizes solid materials).

Determine the correct meaning

The word "dissociate" in this context means to break apart or separate.

Answer:

• separate (Correct answer)
• multiply
• expand
• solidify