The Ionization of Nitrous Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide by Electron Impact

Abstract

The same apparatus used for the study of C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ has now been used to study the products of ionization in N${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$O. Thermal dissociation is so serious in N${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ that the results are somewhat unsatisfactory but N${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+}$ are found as primary ions and their appearance potentials determined approximately. In ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$O the results were more satisfactory and the apperance potentials 12.9, 16.3, 15.3, 21.4 were found for the primary ions ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$, N${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$ respectively. In both gases other primary ions were probably present but obscured by ions from products of thermal dissociation. As in C${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ the observed potentials agreed within the limits of error with calculated values.