Outcome Resulting from Selection of Impact Parameter in Chemical Reaction (IMAGE)
Caption
The selection of the impact parameter is fundamental to the outcome of chemical reaction, as visualized here based on experiments. At zero impact parameter, the reaction at the top showed reproducibly formation of a bound pair of CF2 molecules at the copper surface. In the second event, at bottom, a collision at slightly higher impact parameter (3.6 Angstroms, rather than zero), the products shown at the right of the picture are always far apart, separately chemically bound to the underlying metal. This too is a chemical reaction but exhibiting a different pattern of reaction with the metal. The impact parameter is seen to determine the reaction pathway. This has not previously been demonstrated, since it was not possible to select the impact parameter.
Credit
Kelvin Anggara & Lydie Leung/University of Toronto
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