Plate 1] The equation representing th e decom position of phosphine b y flash photolysis is shown to be PHs -> Prod+fHg. The phosphorus is produced in th e form o f sm all particles w hich rem ain suspended in th e gas phase for several m inutes provided th a t th e to ta l pressure is high enough. The v ariatio n w ith tim e of th e sp ectra of PHa, PH an d P2 has been studied an d th e secondary reactions consequent upon th e photolysis are shown to be homogeneous. The P2 is produced in a v

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... rationally excited sta te a t room tem p eratu re, tran sitio n s involving levels of up to * Present address: D ivision o f Applied Chemistry, N ational Research Council, Ottawa, 2. i [ 1 ] Vol. 262. A. (13 June 1961)