Reaction between Atomic Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide

A shock tube has been employed to study the reaction between atomic oxygen and nitrous oxide in an excess of molecular oxygen. The temperature was varied from 1700° to 2300°K. The total gas concentrations ranged from 0.085 to 1.42×10⁻⁵ moles/cc. The atomic oxygen was generated by the thermal decomposition of ozone. The rate constant for the reaction between atomic oxygen and nitrous oxide is shown to be k_2′+k_2″ = (2.3±0.4)×10¹³ exp(−25 000±800/RT) cc/mole sec. It is shown that the best fit to the experimental data is obtained when the extrapolation of the low‐temperature rate constant for the reaction $$\mathrm{O}+\mathrm{NO}+\mathrm{M}\rightleftharpoons {\mathrm{NO}}_2+\mathrm{M},$$ is employed rather than the rate constant obtained through the reverse reaction and the equilibrium constant. The former rate constant is a factor of 6 greater than the latter rate constant.