Pulsed laser evaporated Li atoms were codeposited with O 2 in excess argon at 12 K. The same LiO 2 and LiO 2 Li products were observed that were formed with thermal Li atoms. However, with N 2 O the LiO product was observed in contrast to thermal Li atom reactions. Excess kinetic energy in the laser evaporated Li atoms provided activation energy for the abstraction reaction. In addition the extremely large yield of O - 4 observed in O 2 experiments provides evidence for photoelectron emission from the lithium metal surface.