Photodissociation of Water (H2O)

Photodissociation of water.
Animation courtesy COMET.

This animation illustrates the process of photodissociation of water. When an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photon strikes a water molecule (H2O) , it photodissociates the molecule into two separate parts - a hydrogen (H) atom and a hydroxyl radical (OH). The energy from the photon breaks one of the chemical bonds that hold the water molecule together.

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Photodissociation of Molecular Nitrogen

Photodissociation of Molecular Oxygen

Photodissociation of the Hydroxyl Radical

Last modified February 17, 2006 by Randy Russell.

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