When in a
chain reaction there is a net increase in the number of
chain carriers there is said to be chain branching. A simple example of a
chain-propagating reaction leading to chain branching is:
in which there is one
chain carrier (an oxygen atom) on the left and two chain carriers (a hydrogen atom and a hydroxyl
radical) on the right.
Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 149
(A glossary of terms used in chemical kinetics, including reaction dynamics (IUPAC
Recommendations 1996))
on page 156
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
