Behaviour of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in active nitrogen

Abstract

Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are decomposed by active nitrogen to yield oxygen atoms. These molecules are dissociated by collision with excited N₂ molecules in the B³Π_g state which emits the nitrogen afterglow. The rate constants for this process are (5.1±0.8)× 10¹³ and (3.5±0.4)× 10¹³ cm³ mole sec^–1 at 196°K for CO₂ and N₂O respectively. Reactions (2) and (3) N+O+M = NO+M (2) N+N+M = N₂+M (3) have the following rate constants in cm⁶ mole^–2 sec^–1: [graphic omitted]