THE LIFETIME OF THE STATE OF N2

Abstract

The decay of the blue emission from the active nitrogen – iodine flame has been measured at iodine pressures down to 1.4 × 10−4 torr. Extrapolation of the decay rate to zero iodine pressure yields a value of 0.89 ± 0.41 s−1 for the first-order rate constant in absence of iodine, corresponding to a mean lifetime of 1.1 s for the [Formula: see text] state of N2. The rate constants for the reactions[Formula: see text]and[Formula: see text]are (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10−11 exp (−68 ± 34/RT) and (8.3 ± 1.2) × 10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 respectively.