Molecular Beam Kinetics: The Differential Cross Section of the Reaction Cl+Br2

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Abstract
The chemical reaction Cl+Br2 was studied using a crossed molecular beam apparatus. Measurements of the distribution of BrCl emitted from the reaction volume as a function of angle from the parent beams were made. The velocity distribution of BrCl was also measured at six angles, widely spaced over the angular distribution.Analysis of the data in center‐of‐mass coordinates reveals that the product is scattered sharply in the direction of the initial chlorine‐atom velocity (forward). After scattering, about 75% of the total energy is in the BrCl internal modes. However, the distribution of this fraction is a function of the center‐of‐mass angle at which BrCl is scattered; the distribution broadens with increasing scattering angle. A compilation of trajectory calculations of one trial potential, simulating a near stripping model, shows a reasonably good fit to the experimental center‐of‐mass distributions. We conclude that the forces acting on the departing bromine atom are small at all distances.