Shafer-Ray proposes to measure high-resolution scattering-angle-dependent cross sections for atom-diatom reactions such as H + O2 and O(1D) + H2 in order to provide a detailed picture of atom-diatom reactive scattering and reveal possible dynamical resonances in the H + O2 reaction. The PI will develop a laboratory for an introductory physics course for engineering majors in which minilab and group laboratory experiments will be incorporated into block units designed to increase students' understanding of physics.
The data gathered from these experiments will be benchmarks for comparing theory with experiment. Since the gross details of the dynamics of these reactions are well established, the detailed data from this work will provide important new information for theoreticians to compare with.
