Knowledge Bank

“Infrared spectra of $H2O$ and $D2O$ suspended in solid Argon, Xenon and Krypton have been obtained in the temperature range 20-4.2$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">\circ </mrow>}K$. A systematic study of the spectrum of these species as a function of concentration and temperature has been carried out. Doublets with components centered within a few wave numbers of the gas phase OH and OD stretching frequencies are observed at dilutions in the range M/R$\to 500-1300$ (M^{\prime\prime}/R denotes molar ratio of rare gas to $H2O$ or $D2O$). Spectra of these species in the bending region are considerably more complex. Between six and eight bands with frequency separations on the order of $10-20cm-1$ are observed in this region. These features appear to be independent of ^{\prime\prime}M^{\prime\prime}/R in the range 500-1300. At least one and possibly two of the lower frequency components in the spectrum of $H2O$ in Argon decrease in intensity on lowering the temperature of the sample. These results have been interpreted on the basis that $H2O$ and $D2O$ rotate in solid A, Xe and Kr.”