Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that consists of one carbon atom bonded to an oxygen atom. It's produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials.
Related terms
Molecule: A group of atoms bonded together representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.
Combustion: A high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized products like water and carbon dioxide.
The protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.