How Catalytic Convertors Work

Catalytic convertors convert hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into three harmless chemicals, making the exhaust of a vehicle much cleaner.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Brainstuff from how stuff works dot com where
smart happens. Hi Am Marshall Brain with today's question, what
is a catalytic converter and how does it work? A
catalytic converter is a device in your car that uses
a catalyst to convert three harmful compounds in car exhaust

(00:21):
into harmless compounds. The three harmful compounds are one hydrocarbons
in the form of unburned gasoline to carbon monoxide formed
by the combustion of gasoline, and three nitrogen oxides created
when the heat in the engine forces nitrogen in the

(00:41):
air to combine with oxygen. Carbon monoxide is a poison
for any air breathing animal. Nitrogen oxides lead to smog
and acid rain, and hydrocarbons produce smog. In a catalytic converter,
the catalyst, in the form of platinum and palladium, is
coated on to a ceramic honeycomb or ceramic beads that

(01:03):
are housed in a muffler like package attached to the
exhaust pipe. The catalyst helps to convert carbon monoxide into
carbon dioxide. It converts the hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water,
and it converts the nitrogen oxides back into nitrogen and oxygen.
This makes the exhaust coming out the exhaust pipe a

(01:24):
lot cleaner. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for
this podcast? If so, please send me an email at
podcast at how stuff works dot com. For more on
this and thousands of other topics, go to how stuff
works dot com