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Nature 419, 266-267 (19 September 2002) | doi:10.1038/419266a

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Chemical physics: A delayed reaction

David E. Manolopoulos

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The simple hydrogen exchange reaction was well understood until an unexpected effect emerged in detailed experimental measurements of the process. An explanation for this effect has now been found.

The scattering of a hydrogen atom from a hydrogen molecule (H + H2 right arrow H2 + H) is the simplest possible chemical reaction, as it involves only three nuclei and three electrons. This reaction has served as a benchmark system for understanding chemical reaction dynamics for nearly a century, and quantum-mechanical calculations of the electronic aspects of the process have been made with unrivalled accuracy.