Gas cracker

A gas cracker is any device that splits the molecules in a gas or liquid, usually by electrolysis, into atoms. The end product is usually a gas. A hydrocracker is an example of a gas cracker. In nature, molecules are split often, such as in food digestion and microbial digestion activity. A gas cracker device splits the molecule at a rate much greater than that normally found in nature. In science and industry, gas crackers are used to separate two or more elements in a molecule. For example, liquid water, or H2O, is separated into hydrogen and oxygen gases.

This is not to be confused with the splitting of the atom (atomic power) or nucleus (nuclear power).