Vacuum Ultraviolet Photochemistry, Part I. Nitrous Oxide at 1470 A

Abstract

The photolysis of nitrous oxide at 1470 A has been studied and the quantum yields measured for N₂O disappearance and NO, O₂, and N₂ appearance. The average of 38 measurements gives φN₂O=1.7₀, φO₂=0.5₀, and φN₂=1.4₄ with φNO being pressure dependent. The data obtained here can be explained by a mechanism involving initial dissociation of nitrous oxide into nitrogen molecules and oxygen atoms. The source of NO can be in the reaction O+N₂O→2NO. These results are discussed in the light of previous work.