ISU Extension Polk County Carbon Monoxide Education Fact Sheet 3 - When Carbon Monoxide is Present Fact sheet 2 pointed out that carbon dioxide is composed of two oxygen atoms attach to one carbon atom.
Carbon monoxide is composed of one oxygen atom attached to one carbon atom.
When carbon monoxide is present in the air you breath into your lungs, it attaches itself to the hemoglobin. The bond between hemoglobin and carbon monoxide is 250 times stronger than oxygen. In the lungs carbon monoxide attaches to red blood cells in place of oxygen. The blood carries red blood cells to all parts of the body. Click here to the to see how.