INTENSITIES OF EMISSION LINES IN FLAMES OF METAL HALIDES WITH ACTIVE NITROGEN

Abstract

The intensities of spectral lines emitted by flames of a number of metal halides with active nitrogen have been found to vary as the square of the nitrogen atom concentration. When the total energy required for simultaneous dissociation of the halide and excitation of the metal atom is less than about 200 kcal/mole the energy transfer process is too efficient to be attributed to the termolecular reaction of a halide molecule with a pair of nitrogen atoms. The observations are consistent with the hypothesis that in this case energy is transferred to the halide molecule during collision with a nitrogen molecule in the 5Σg+ state. Possible excitation mechanisms are discussed for less intense lines which would require up to 276 kcal/mole for simultaneous dissociation and excitation.