There aren’t any universal ways of doing this, but it always requires some energy and usually only works for compounds composed of two elements. Some somewhat unstable compounds decompose into their constituent elements if you heat them. For example, silver oxide decomposes into silver metal and oxygen gas at high temperatures. Some unstable compounds may do this violently such as metal azides which decompose into a metal and nitrogen gas. But for most compounds, you can’t really do this. Some compounds can also be decomposed into their constituent elements if you apply an electric current through them with enough voltage in a solution/liquid phase (i.e. electrolysis). This is how sodium metal is produced in industry (I believe this process is called the Down’s Process). In conclusion, it depends on the compound and usually doesn’t work for most of them.
Foeskes t1_j1moomc wrote
Reply to What is the process of breaking apart molecules into the atoms that make it? by TenComet
There aren’t any universal ways of doing this, but it always requires some energy and usually only works for compounds composed of two elements. Some somewhat unstable compounds decompose into their constituent elements if you heat them. For example, silver oxide decomposes into silver metal and oxygen gas at high temperatures. Some unstable compounds may do this violently such as metal azides which decompose into a metal and nitrogen gas. But for most compounds, you can’t really do this. Some compounds can also be decomposed into their constituent elements if you apply an electric current through them with enough voltage in a solution/liquid phase (i.e. electrolysis). This is how sodium metal is produced in industry (I believe this process is called the Down’s Process). In conclusion, it depends on the compound and usually doesn’t work for most of them.