J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 13007-13020 13007

Gilbert M. Nathanson* Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, 1101 University Ave., Madison, Wisconsin

53706

Paul Davidovits* Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

02167

Douglas R. Worsnop and Charles E. Kolb

Center for Chemical and Environmental Physics, Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts 01821

Receive: November 30, 1995; In Final Form: April 19, 1996

This article reviews two approaches to exploring collisions and reactions between gases and liquids. We first describe molecular beam scattering experiments, which reveal the detailed ways in which gas atoms and molecules scatter from, accommodate on, and react with low vapor pressure liquids. We then discuss droplet flow tube experiments, which uncover the kinetics of the uptake of reactive and nonreactive gases in water and in aqueous solutions. Our goals are to develop simple, predictive rules for describing the fate of gas molecules coming into contact with the surface of liquids.