<VV> You Got it RIGHT! Re: CO or CO2 ? NO CORVAIR

[HallGrenn at aol.com]

I'm not a chemical engineer or a doctor, but the courses I've gone to in  the 
service and later in the private sector taught me that CO (carbon  
monoxide--notice the mono?) and CO2 (carbon dioxide) should both be treated with  
respect.  CO is a poison, it is about the same size as an O2 molecule  (oxygen) and 
the body's cells will absorb it as if it was O2, killing the  cell.  If you 
have CO poisoning it takes a while to rid your body of  the CO--usually in a 
hospital if you have been incompacitated.  
 
CO2 (larger molecule than CO or O2) will smother you (your lungs) if it is  
in large enough quantities compared to oxygen. It can't poison  your cells 
because they won't take it in as they will CO (I realize there  are situations of 
pressure extremes when concentrations can occur).
 
Either can kill you under the wrong circumstances, but our cars will  
typically warn us off with smelly fumes (unless you've removed too many 'excess  
parts'  :)) before the odor free CO (carbon monoxide) will kill us or make  us 
sick.  
 
Bob Hall
Group Corvair
Washington DC Suburbs



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