Monoxide Monoxide A monoxide is any oxide containing just one atom of oxygen in the molecule. For example, Potassium oxide (KO), has only one atom of oxygen, and is thus a monoxide. Water (HO) is also a monoxide; see dihydrogen monoxide hoax. A well known monoxide is carbon monoxide (CO); see carbon monoxide poisoning. Most of the members of the Periodic Table form oxides when oxidized. There are two main types of oxides: monoxides and dioxides. Monoxides (generally MO) such as silicon monoxide (SiO) only exist at high temperatures. Among monoxides, CO is neutral, GeO is distinctly acidic, and SnO and
Cerium(III) oxide Cerium(III) oxide Cerium(III) oxide, also known as cerium oxide, cerium trioxide, cerium sesquioxide, cerous oxide or dicerium trioxide, is an oxide of the rare-earth metal cerium. It has chemical formula CeO and is gold-yellow in color. Cerium oxide is used as a catalytic converter for the minimisation of CO emissions in the exhaust gases from motor vehicles. When there is a shortage of oxygen, cerium(IV) oxide is reduced by carbon monoxide to cerium(III) oxide: When there is an oxygen surplus, the process is reversed and cerium(III) oxide is oxidized to cerium(IV) oxide: Major automotive applications for cerium(III) oxide are, as