Apparently I missed a blog post!
So what am I writing my paper about? It took me a while to decide. After asking my research professor to teach me how to use his super computer I found a topic.
[Caution, I am about to geek-out, hard]
There is hydrogen in outer space. Atomic Hydrogen (H) and Molecular Hydrogen (H2). The question is where did the molecular hydrogen come from? Space is basically a vacuum, and far from stars, it is really really cold. Atomic hydrogen is present in space based on a lot of theory and data, it gives of spectral colors (think slivers of a rainbow) that can be seen from telescopes. Not to mention stars burn hydrogen, and fuse H molecules to make every other element (we are all star children!) so we know H is out there. What we don't know is how it made H2. One theory, my research area, is that space dust acts as a catalyst. Space dust is generally composed of rock dust and other debris, a large portion (or so we are hypothesizing) is made up of silica, which is similar to carbon, like sand and dirt. In order for the Hydrogen molecules to bond they must acquire enough energy to get over an activation energy barrier, think of it as having enough energy to jump over a fence. I am proposing that the silica acts as a catalyst, or a way to lower the fence.
The questions I will seek to answer are: What is the activation energy of the formation of an H--H bond? Does H adsorb to silica and with what energy? Does silica act as a catalyst? What is the ambient temperature of outer space? What other theories are out there (there is one about children's balloons that seems plausible)?
Sorry if this bores any one to tears!
Also feel free to ask questions, I'll try to explain in English!
-M
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