The effect of vibrational energy on the reaction of molecular hydrogen with atomic oxygen

Abstract An upper bound of 6 × 10 10 cm 3 /moles on the rate constant for the reaction of atomic oxygen with vibrationally excited H 2 has been deduced from laboratory observations and from detailed computer calculations. From this result it can be shown that no more than 30% of the vibrational energy of H 2 is effective in overcoming the activation energy for the O + H 2 reaction.