The Hydrogen Games and Other Adventures in Chemistry

Abstract

I seem to have started off on the wrong foot in life, but I am extremely fortunate that I soon found my footing in the company of physical chemists. I consider myself to be very lucky to be doing something that constantly brings me in contact with bright minds, stimulating conversations, and exciting experiments. My work has allowed me to learn astounding facts about the molecules and atoms that make up our surroundings and ourselves. For this article, I focus on one aspect of my research, understanding the fundamental principles of the simple reaction between a hydrogen atom and a hydrogen molecule. Although my group and others have been studying this seemingly simple reaction for well over 30 years, it continues to provoke questions about the properties of matter.