Abstract
IT has been suggested recently1 that observed, yields1,2 (g(−H2O) ∼ 7 ± 1) from the radiolysis of water vapour in the presence of chemical scavengers could be explained by considering the energetics of charge neutralization of the hydrated species H3O+(H2O)n (reaction 1) instead of the simple hydronium ion H3O+ (reaction 2): 
Support for this hypothesis is provided by the mass spectrometric investigations of Kebarle and Hogg3 and of Knewstubb and Tickner4, who have identified hydrates of the form H3O+(H2O)n, with n = 1 − 7, using α-radiation and electric discharges in water vapour. This communication presents preliminary evidence, principally from the radiolysis of water vapour containing 5 mole per cent cyclohexane, with some supporting evidence from work with the system water/ammonia, which demonstrates the chemical consequences of reactions (1) and (2), and enables us to estimate the enthalpy change in the general hydration reaction: 
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ANDERSON, A., KNIGHT, B. & WINTER, J. Effect of Temperature on the γ-Radiolysis of Water Vapour. Nature 209, 199–200 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/209199a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/209199a0
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