Kinetic energy of ion pairs in three-body ionic recombination

Abstract
In earlier calculations on the rate of three-body ionic recombination by the quasi-equilibrium statistical method the assumption was explicitly made that even when recombination is proceeding the centres of mass of the ion pairs have approximately thermal motion at the temperature theta of the ambient gas. This assumption is examined in the case of ions recombining in their parent gas. It is found that the mean kinetic energy associated with the motion of the centres of mass is rather greater than 3/2k theta and is dependent on the internal energy of the ion pair. However, the effect on the recombination coefficient is insignificant.

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