CARBON

MONOXIDE
BY HRISHI FRANCIS
CARBON MONOXIDE?
Carbon monoxide is a single triple covalent bond compound between one Carbon
atom and one Oxygen Atom. (Cotton)

It a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas which is slightly less dense than air.

It is known to have flammable properties, and has a greater affinity for

haemoglobin than Oxygen, being 210 times greater than it. (Cotton)
Concentrations of more than 35ppm, can influence the Oxygen concentration of
haemoglobin in an animal and form a bond with haemoglobin that can be dangerous for
the organism.
HOW DOES IT COME TO BE?

• Carbon monoxide is a common product of an incomplete

combustion (A combustion is absence of sufficient Oxygen)
(Poslusny)
• Fuels such as wood, propane, coal and natural gas are sources of
Carbon monoxide, form their incomplete combustion(Poslusny),
along with products such as water and Carbon.
• Carbon monoxide is often formed in rooms with poor
ventilation and insufficient Oxygen, and Burning substances
within the room take up most of the Oxygen, if not a person’s
breathing has already not used up a large amount
• Carbon dioxide fails to form as an addition of one other oxygen
atom is required to form the compound which is unavailable,
forcing the person to eventually inhale Carbon monoxide.
CARBON MONOXIDE
OR CARBON DIOXIDE

• Carbon dioxide is a double covalent bond compound formed in excess

of Oxygen while Carbon monoxide is a triple covalent bond compound
formed in less amount of Oxygen.
• Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas, a product of complete
combustion, and is a product of our breathing process in our bodies
and Carbon monoxide is formed from the incomplete combustion of
fuel and does not naturally occur in the environment. (Technology. A)
• Carbon dioxide is generally a harmless gas, and is crucial for plants and
animals to survive, while Carbon monoxide is dangerous for its affinity
of haemoglobin and can cause death when inhaled too much .
(Technology. A)
• They both are colourless, odourless, and tasteless and have similar
bonds causing confusion between the two even when they have vastly
different effects.
CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING
• Improperly ventilated places, along with the addition of burning of
fuels nearby in close spaces can lead to the formation of carbon
monoxide which can be dangerous for human health.
• When it is inhaled, CO will enter your bloodstream and replace the
Oxygen in your red blood cells due to its higher affinity for
haemoglobin than Oxygen.
• This will destroy the bodies supply of Oxygen and it can cause
serious tissue damage, heart complications, and brain damage as
blood rich in Oxygen does not reaches the organs. (Clinic. M)
• Some of the major symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include
permanent brain damage, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath,
blurred vision, nausea, confusion, and if not treated in time, can
cause a fatal death. (Clinic. M)
PREVENTION?
• Carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by
ensuring a house have proper ventilation with windows
kept open at times, to let out smoke and exhausts from
appliances at home.
• Never use grills and run motorised systems close to
house and in enclosed areas as smoke containing
Carbon monoxide may enter and affect people inside.
(Prevention. C)
• Own a carbon monoxide detector if possible, to know
when CO levels in a place is too high. This can help is
life threatening events when it is not clear how much
CO is there as it is a colourless and odourless gas.
(Prevention. C)
• If all else fails, and you or anyone around you seems to
show symptoms of Carbon monoxide poisoning, they
must be taken to the hospital and treated immediately as
CO can act fast in the body and may cause death.
ENVIRONMTAL IMPLICATIONS

.Like Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide is a greenhouse gas, causing a blanket of heat around the
place it occupies. Green house gases are useful for greenhouses where plants are cultivated in
rooms filled with gases like CO that provide heat to the plants necessary for it to survive.
However, our carelessness and ignorance for the environment, has caused excess greenhouse
gases like CO to escape into the atmosphere and form a blanket of layer of heat around the Earth.
While this layer already exists, building up more of it is dangerous. Carbon monoxide is
dangerous for not only animals, but also is a source of pollution the damages the environment
eventually leading to Global Warming, rise of sea levels, and future calamities.
Gases like CO must be contained, and its formation must be avoided if we want to save lives and
protect our world.
 WORKS CITED

• Tecnology, Analytical. "What's The Difference Between Carbon Monoxide And Carbon Dioxide? - Analytical Technology, Inc. /
+1-800-959-0299." Analyticaltechnology.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 21 Feb. 2021.

• Prevention, Control. "Carbon Monoxide." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 2020. Web. 21 Feb. 2021.

• Clinic, Mayo. "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Symptoms And Causes." Mayo Clinic. N.p., 2019. Web. 21 Feb. 2021.

• Poslusny, Catherine. "Where Does Carbon Monoxide Come From In A Home?." Molekule Blog. N.p., 2018. Web. 20 Feb.
2021.

• Cotton, Unkown. "Carbon Monoxide." Basic Inorganic Chemistry. N.p., 1976. Web. 21 Feb. 2021.
THANK YOU