Imagine a killer perfect enough to travel the halls of your home completely undetectable to the eye of its prey. You can't hear it, you can't feel it, and before you or anyone in your household realizes something is wrong, it may already be too late. More than ten thousand people are victims of carbon monoxide poisoning and more than fifteen hundred die each year from this gas so deadly that it is nicknamed the "silent killer" ("What is carbon monoxide?" carbon? Carbon monoxide, or CO for short, is a flammable, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced during incomplete combustion of fuel and its ability to cause harm lies in the lack of knowledge and understanding of this gas by the Company. Staying safe from carbon monoxide poisoning requires understanding what causes carbon monoxide, where it can be found, and how to avoid and manage contamination. Carbon itself is one of the most abundant elements in the universe. It is found in the sun, stars, comets and the atmosphere of most planets. There are nearly ten million known carbon compounds, several thousand of which are essential to life itself. In normal combustion, the output would produce two molecules of oxygen in combination with one molecule of carbon to produce carbon dioxide, or CO2. If there is not enough oxygen during combustion, a molecule is absorbed by the carbon molecule to produce carbon monoxide (CO). When a person breathes in air, it is normally absorbed into the bloodstream and oxygen molecules in the body. the air attaches to hemoglobin and is then transported throughout the body (“Frequently asked questions about carbon monoxide detectors”). When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it replaces the oxygen molecules in hemoglobin due to its higher affinity for hemoglobin than for oxygen, producing a toxic compound called carboxyhemoglobin ("What is carbon monoxide? This, in turn, limits the blood's ability to carry oxygen throughout the body, thereby suffocating it. A human body deprived of oxygen becomes very ill and cannot function properly. Not only is carbon monoxide known to kill unintentionally, but unfortunately it is also found to be an alternative method of suicide (Doug). The availability of this method, along with the speed and lack of discomfort, makes it a responsible source for anyone searching unfortunately middle of paper...... a deadly gas that continues to claim many victims each year. using the blindness of societies as a bastion. Understanding how CO works and how to prevent it is the only way to protect yourself from the dangers. In this case, knowledge is a weapon, use it wisely. Works Cited “Automobiles and carbon monoxide”. SGD Fact Sheet No. 3. January 1999. Online. Internet. May 24, 2001. Baker, O. “Car Emission Standards Improve Rural Air.” » Scientific news. September 25, 1999. FindArticles.com. Online. Internet. May 24, 2001. “Carbon monoxide.” Chimney Institute of America. Online. Internet. May 25, 2001.Doug. “Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning as a method of suicide.” Home page. Online. Internet. May 24, 2001. “Experts look at carbon monoxide detectors.” » SeattleTimes.com. August 2, 2000. Online. Internet. May 25, 2001. “Protect yourself and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. » United States Environmental Protection Agency. Online. Internet. May 25, 2001. “Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Monoxide Detectors.” H.Brandon Guest 2001.