Although plasma processes are integral to many widespread applications, mechanistic details for plasma processing of materials remain unknown. Understanding the chemistry at the gas-surface interface provides critical molecular level information on these systems. Power dissipation and energetics are also important for elucidation of mechanistic details in plasmas. Our imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) technique combines molecular beams and LIF to examine surface interactions of radicals during plasma processing. IRIS also provides direct information on the energetics of plasma-generated radicals as well as for scattered species. Specifically, kinetic translational and rotational temperatures of radicals in various plasmas will be provided. This work concentrates on surface interactions and energetics of CH, OH, CN, and NO during plasma processing of carbon-based materials. Comparisons reveal energy partitioning is related to formation mechanisms for plasma species and that not all open shell molecules are reactive at surfaces.