Final answer:
Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. It forms under conditions where there's not enough oxygen to create carbon dioxide. This happens frequently in car engines, fireplaces, and high-pressure reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. This commonly occurs in car engines, fireplaces, and any combustion process where there's not enough oxygen present to create carbon dioxide. Automobiles, for example, use catalytic converters to convert harmful gases, including carbon monoxide, into less harmful substances. The reaction is as such: CO₂(g) + C(s) gives 2CO(g), where the carbon monoxide serves as a reducing agent.
It's worth noting that carbon monoxide is also a side product of the combustion of gunpowder, and it can occur in other high-temperature, high-pressure reactions where carbon and oxygen are present. This gas is harmful when inhaled as it binds preferentially to hemoglobin in our blood, inhibiting the transport of oxygen around the body.
Learn more about Combustion of Hydrocarbons