light-atom anomaly

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03523
A dynamical effect that arises for a process w
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 hen the species A is light (e.g. a hydrogen atom) compared to B and C. The vibrational excitation of the product A–B is low, since the light atom A approaches to within the bonding distance of BC before the C atom retreats. The energy of reaction is therefore released as repulsion between A–B and C, with the result that there is translational excitation of the products.
Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 149. (A glossary of terms used in chemical kinetics, including reaction dynamics (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)) on page 171 [Terms] [Paper]
Citation: 'light-atom anomaly' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 3rd ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2006. Online version 3.0.1, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03523 RIS BibTex EndNote
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Last revised: February 24, 2014