Question

Explain the properties and uses of carbon monoxide.

Answer 1

Properties of carbon monoxide:

• Carbon monoxide($\mathbf{CO}$), a compound containing carbon and oxygen is colourless and odorless gas which burns with pale-blue flame.
• It is a highly toxic gas as it is poisonous to all organisms carrying haemoglobin. This happens because carbon monoxide replaces oxygen from the haemoglobin part of the blood and binds to it forming carboxyhaemoglobin thus less oxygen is transported to body cells and tissues. Moreover, the vital organs such as the brain and heart receive very fewer amounts of oxygen, hence causing drowsiness or even death.
• It easily mixes with air and is slightly denser than air.
• It is a neutral oxide and gives out carbon dioxide when allowed to burn in presence of oxygen.
• It is sparingly soluble in water but it is soluble in solvents like benzene and ethanol.

Uses of carbon monoxide:

• Carbon monoxide is also called as an industrial gas because it can be extensively utilized as a fuel in the form of water gas and producer gas.
• The most important use of carbon monoxide is because of its reducing action. It can be used as a reducing agent as it can be used in the extraction of metals from their respective ores. it is having a high affinity with oxygen, hence helps in the removal of oxygen from the metal oxides to form metals. Carbon dioxide also evolved during this process.

For example; Reduction of iron oxide(III) into iron and carbon dioxide. The reaction is given as;

$\underset{\mathbf{Iron}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{III}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\mathbf{oxide}}{{\mathbf{Fe}}_{\mathbf{2}}{\mathbf{O}}_{\mathbf{3}}\mathbf{S}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{s}\mathbf{\right)}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\underset{\mathbf{Carbon}\mathbf{}\mathbf{monoxide}}{\mathbf{}\mathbf{3}\mathbf{CO}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{\right)}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\to }\mathbf{}\underset{\mathbf{Iron}}{\mathbf{2}\mathbf{Fe}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{l}\mathbf{\right)}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{}\underset{\mathbf{Carbon}\mathbf{}\mathbf{dioxide}}{\mathbf{3}{\mathbf{CO}}_{\mathbf{2}}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{g}\mathbf{\right)}}$