Convert a bash string to an array of words. Using the IFS (internal field seperator).

bash_string_to_array.sh

export IFS=" "

str="hello world what is happening"
arr=( $str )

echo first word: ${arr[0]}
echo second word: ${arr[1]}
echo third word: ${arr[2]}

Output

➜ bash s.sh
first word: hello
second word: world
third word: what