Water's surface not all wet: Some water molecules split the difference between gas and liquid
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 - 14:30
in Physics & Chemistry
At any one time, one quarter of water molecules in the uppermost layer have one hydrogen atom in water and the other vibrating freely above. Such molecules straddle gas and liquid phases, according to a new study that bears on atmospheric chemistry and raises the question of how exactly to define the air-water boundary.