Chemical reactions in sight!

2004/12/20 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Kimika

The image is a molecule of nitrogen, that is, two nitrogen atoms (in red) and a pair of electrons between them and around them (in blue).

The technique used to remove the photo has been developed jointly by Canadian and Japanese physicists. In this new technique very short laser pulses are used, the electron responds and its position is collected.

Through this technique, the orbits of atoms are represented in three dimensions and, although in this case they have received the image of a molecule, it also serves to observe the movement of the electrons in the intermolecular reactions.

Photo: Nature Nature