Decomposition in daily life

French scientist Antoine Lavoisier showed that by heating mercury(II) oxide, he could separate it into two components, one of which was a breathable gas, oxygen. This type of reaction is called a decomposition reaction, where substances are broken up into simpler parts (elements or simpler compounds). While the decomposition of mercury oxide is of limited use today, read the article to discover the decomposition reactions that are a key part of our everyday lives and others that could become increasingly important.