Isolated single carbon- and oxygen-containing molecules undergo gas-phase reactions and collisions under single-collision conditions while conserving momentum and energy.
The claim addresses whether isolated single molecules of carbon and oxygen can react while conserving momentum. Papers [1] and [7] explicitly investigate gas-phase reactions involving single carbon and oxygen-bearing molecules (such as CO2 interacting with metal ions) under single-collision conditions, analyzing differential cross sections and velocity map imaging that directly track momentum conservation and reaction dynamics. The evidence supports the claim.