Brownian motion in a field of force and the diffusion theory of chemical reactions. II

✍ Scribed by H.C. Brinkman

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1956
• Weight: 283 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0031-8914
• DOI: 10.1016/s0031-8914(56)80019-0

✦ Synopsis

H. A. Kr a m e r s 1) has studied the rate of chemical reactions in view of the Brownian forces caused by a surrounding medium in temperature equilibrium. In a previous paper 3) the author gave a solution of Kramers' diffusion equation in phase space by systematic development. In this paper the general proi)lem of the shuttling forward and back of a particle betweefi two potential holes is studied.

It is found that the reaction rates depend exponentially on the ratio of activation energy to kT. This remains true for a reaction proceeding simultaneously in both directions. The form of temperature dependence of the non-exponential factor is determined by the potential curve. Analogous results are obtained for a system containing many degrees of freedom.