Photodissociation of the Hydroxyl Radical (OH)
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The hydroxyl radical (OH) is essentially a piece of a molecule, made up of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom. It is highly reactive. It is often produced when a water molecule loses a hydrogen atom.
This animation illustrates the process of photodissociation of the hydroxyl radical. When an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photon strikes the hydroxyl radical (OH) , it photodissociates the radical into two separate parts - a hydrogen atom (H) and an oxygen atom (O). The energy from the photon breaks the chemical bond that holds the atoms together.
You will need to have the latest version of the Flash player to see this animation.
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Photodissociation of Water
Photodissociation of Molecular Oxygen
Photodissociation of Molecular Nitrogen
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