Carbon Monoxide

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.

Hemoglobin:

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.