Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2018
Hot water molecules from dissociative recombination of D3O+ with cold electrons
H Buhr1, J Stützel, M B Mendes
1Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany. henrik.buhr@mpi-hd.mpg.de
Abstract:
Individual product channels in the dissociative recombination of deuterated hydronium ions and cold electrons are studied in an ion storage ring by velocity imaging using spatial and mass-sensitive detection of the neutral reaction fragments. Initial and final molecular excitation are analyzed, finding the outgoing water molecules to carry internal excitation of more than 3 eV in 90% of the recombination events. Initial rotation is found to be substantial and in three-body breakup strongly asymmetric energy repartition among the deuterium products is enhanced for hot parent ions.
Related Concept Videos
States of Water
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...
Radical Formation: Homolysis
Aqueous Solutions and Heats of Hydration
When ionic compounds dissolve in water, the ions in the solid separate and disperse uniformly throughout the solution because water molecules surround and solvate the ions, reducing the strong electrostatic forces between them. This process...
Van der Waals Interactions
Intermolecular Forces
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation

