- #1
djmoore
- 4
- 0
I thought that carbon monoxide in normal room air would be oxidized by the oxygen in the air, and that this would happen fairly quickly.
Instead, I was astonished to read that CO is oxidized by the hydroxyl ion. Indeed, most flammable gases in the atmosphere seem to be consumed by hydroxyl ions, not oxygen itself.
I assume the reaction is
CO + 2OH- -> CO2 + H2O
What's going on? Why doesn't oxygen itself oxidize other gases?
I was also stunned to find that the half life of atmospheric CO is on the order of months, not minutes or even hours. Holy cow! The stuff never goes away! Why is it so slow? Is it that you have to have three rather rare molocules bump into each other simultaneously?
Instead, I was astonished to read that CO is oxidized by the hydroxyl ion. Indeed, most flammable gases in the atmosphere seem to be consumed by hydroxyl ions, not oxygen itself.
I assume the reaction is
CO + 2OH- -> CO2 + H2O
What's going on? Why doesn't oxygen itself oxidize other gases?
I was also stunned to find that the half life of atmospheric CO is on the order of months, not minutes or even hours. Holy cow! The stuff never goes away! Why is it so slow? Is it that you have to have three rather rare molocules bump into each other simultaneously?