Which of the following is/are true for carbon monoxide?
It is a colourless and odourless gas
It gives a blue flame when burns in air
It reacts with metals to form metal carbonyls
1. Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas.
2. CO is toxic in nature as it reacts with haemoglobin in the blood and forms a complex called carboxyhaemoglobin which is about 300 times more stable than the complex formed by the reaction of oxygen(air) and haemoglobin in the lungs.
Haemoglobin + CO → Carboxyhaemoglobin.
Haemoglobin + O2⇌ Oxyhaemoglobin.
This prevents the haemoglobin present in the RBC (red blood cells) from carrying oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. This leads to oxygen deficiency causing unconsciousness ultimately leading to death.
3.CO burns with a blue flame to produce carbon dioxide.
2CO(g)+O2(g)→2CO2(g)