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?
Select to read the full text of Heat Shield Testing Recycles Waste on Earth
A. separate
B. solidify
C. multiply
D. expand
