The Rate Constants of the Reactions of the Metastable Nitrogen Atoms, 2D and 2P, and the Reactions of N(4S)+NO→N2+O(3P) and O(3P)+NO+M→NO2+M

Abstract

Abstract The pulse-radiolysis technique was used for the measurement of the quenching rates of the metastable nitrogen atoms, 2D and 2P, both in nitrogen and in helium. The rate constants obtained for N(2D) were (1.3±0.2)×10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 (1 cm3 molecule−1 s−1=6.022×1017 m3 mol−1 s−1) in nitrogen and (4.6±0.4)×10−17 in helium; these values were larger than those for the higher energy metastable nitrogen atoms, N(2P), (3.3±0.3)×10−17 in nitrogen and (4.2±1.3)×10−18 in helium. The room temperature rate constants of the reactions of these atoms with nitrogen monoxide and with ethylene were also measured. All of these rate constants were found to be of the order of 3×10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. The rate constants of the reactions, N(4S)+NO→N2+O(3P) and O(3P)+NO+M→NO2+M, were also measured and compared with literature values.