Atomic and Electronic Distributions in Liquid Nitrogen, Nitric Oxide, and Nitrous Oxide

Abstract

The monochromatic x‐ray diffraction patterns for liquid nitrogen, nitric oxide and nitrous oxide have been obtained and analyzed by the Fourier integral method to obtain the atomic or electronic distributions. The diffraction patterns show one main peak and only faint peaks or plateaus at larger angles. The distribution curves show diatomic aggregates in liquid nitrogen and nitric oxide comparable to those found in the gaseous states. A linear molecule for nitrous oxide is consistent with the present data while a triangular molecule is not.