T h e report deals with certain experimental and theoretical aspects of collision processes in polyatomic molecular gases. Experimental techniques, dating from about 1932, are reviewed, with more attention given to recent methods. Measurements of critical potentials, cross sections, and initial kinetic energy of product fragments are described.A survey of the theoretical implications of these data is then given, with reference to the significance of electron-impact ionization potential measurements, for molecules and free radicals, bond dissociation energies for a wide range of molecular types, and certain collision processes involving negative ions. 0 2. EXPERIXENTAL TECHNIQUES Early measurements of ionization potentials have been reviewed briefly by Arnot (1933) and more recently and fully by Massey and Burhop (1952) in their critical and comprehensive work. Figure 2 (Tate and Smith 1932) shows an apparatus using collimation of the electron beam by a magnetic field (Jones 1927) suitable for measurements of ionization cross sections and critical ionization potentials. The electrons are accelerated from the filament F through a collimator system into the ionization space between electrodes P, and P,. Ionization produced here is measured as a current to P, and P, and the onset of this current gives the first ionization potential. Cross sections for ionization are determined