We have performed classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations of the prob
abilities of rovibrational excitation and dissociation of molecular hydroge
n in collisions with a surface, modelled as MgO. The results show that, in
C-type shock waves, states of high excitation energy are populated predomin
antly in collisions with charged grains, rather than with much more abundan
t neutral species. The intensities of rovibrational transitions of H-2 have
been calculated for a series of models of C-type shocks, considered to be
relevant to molecular outflow sources. We compare the column densities of e
xcited states of H-2 and the intensities of representative rovibrational tr
ansitions, calculated excluding and including collisions with grains.