Which term means to scatter or disperse and gradually disappear?

• A. Exothermic
• B. Dissipate
• C. Retard
• D. Spatulate

Answer: (B)

Dispersing and fading away is what this term captures. To dissipate means something spreads out and becomes less concentrated over time until it vanishes. You can picture smoke or fog thinning as it drifts away and the overall effect becomes hardly noticeable, or heat spreading through a room and gradually leveling off as the energy disperses.

Exothermic describes a process that releases heat, not how something breaks apart or fades. Retard means to slow down or delay. Spatulate refers to a spoon-shaped form or a method of applying with a spatula, not to dispersal. So dissipate is the word that best matches the idea of scattering and gradually disappearing.