Question

Which of the following statements is falsc? (1) Carbon monoxidc is a ncutral gas. (2) Carbon monoxide is absorbed by ammonical cuprous chloride. (3) Carbon monoxide combines with hacmoglobin forming carboxyhaemoglobin which does not have oxygen-carrying capacity. (4) Carbon monoxide can be used as a firc cxtinguishcr.

Short answer

Statement 4 is false.

Step-by-step solution

- Understand the question

Determine which of the given statements about carbon monoxide (CO) is false.

- Analyze statement 1

Carbon monoxide is indeed a neutral gas, it is neither acidic nor basic. Therefore, statement 1 is true.

- Analyze statement 2

Carbon monoxide is absorbed by ammonical cuprous chloride solution to form a complex. Hence, statement 2 is also true.

- Analyze statement 3

Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity in blood. This statement is true.

- Analyze statement 4

Carbon monoxide is highly flammable and can support combustion. Therefore, it cannot be used as a fire extinguisher. Thus, statement 4 is false.

Key concepts

neutral gas

Carbon monoxide (CO) is classified as a neutral gas. This means it does not exhibit acidic or basic properties.
Neutral gases do not affect the pH levels of their surroundings.
They are non-polar molecules and do not react with water to form ions.
For instance, carbon monoxide does not turn litmus paper red or blue because it is neither acidic nor basic in nature.

ammonical cuprous chloride absorption

Carbon monoxide can be absorbed by a solution of ammonical cuprous chloride.
This solution contains ammonia and cuprous chloride (CuCl).
When CO is introduced to this solution, it forms a stable complex, [Cu(CO)]_n, thereby removing CO from the gas mixture.
This property is often utilized in gas analysis to determine the presence and concentration of CO.

carboxyhemoglobin formation

Carbon monoxide can bind with hemoglobin in blood to form carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO).
Hemoglobin typically binds with oxygen to transport it throughout the body.
However, CO has a much higher affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen, binding about 200 times more tightly.
This means that when CO is present, it can significantly reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen, which can lead to serious health issues like carbon monoxide poisoning.

flammability

Carbon monoxide is a highly flammable gas.
It can easily catch fire and support combustion, making it a hazardous substance in environments where there may be open flames or sparks.
Due to these properties, CO cannot be used as a fire extinguisher. In fact, using CO for this purpose would be extremely dangerous and counterproductive.