Script

A: Amanda T: Tian S: Sarah V: Vivian A: Good afternoon, today our group would be discussing on the chemistry that occurs in a car. First, we would like to start off our presentation with a small skit to outline what our presentation would be about. (Click on presentation, 2 times) (Rearrange scene for skit) (powerpoint displays a picture of inside the car) SKIT (Tian in the drivers seat, Amanda in shotgun, Sarah and Vivian in the passenger seats) S: Oh my gosh guys, we are finally finished universities and graduated as auto mechanic engineers. A: Lets go out and party!!! V: What are you waiting for, start the engine!!! T: (Tian starts the engine but fails) A: Um, is there a problem? T: Yeah they car wont start. S: What did you fill the gas tank? T: Of course, I filled it last night myself. V: It is okay guys. This is what university has prepared us for. S: Yes, let examine the parts. Where should we start off? A: Of course start from the head of the car, since thats what university has taught us. Car Batteries T: Lets have a look at the battery, shall we? V: This doesnt look like your typical battery in a flashlight. S: Thats because its not. This is a lead acid battery. >CHANGE SLIDE< The anode is a grid of lead-antimony or lead-calcium alloy packed with spongy lead. The cathode is a similar grid of lead (IV) oxide, and the electrolyte is aqueous sulphuric acid. A: Grid? Why would there be a grid inside the battery? T: This is because the use of grids as electrodes means that each cell is actually a number of smaller cells connected in parallel, meaning anode to anode and cathode to cathode, which causes an effective output of electricity. A: Do you guys want to know an interesting fact? T: No, not really. A: Thats unfortunate. Im telling you anyway. A single unit in a battery is called a cell. A battery is called a battery, because it is a battery of cells together. GET IT? S: ANYWAY. What other IMPORTANT things do we need to know about car batteries? V: Well, the anode and cathode are placed both inside and outside the battery.

A: What? How is that possible? T: Well, on the inside of the battery, the anode and cathode are in a solution of sulphuric acid and are extended to the outside of the battery to allow for a connection to a cars electrical circuit. V: If we closely examine the battery, it shows us which side is positive and negative, if the battery ever needs charging. And as we learned before, the anode is the negative and the cathode is the positive electrode. S: Well, do we need to charge the battery? T: I dont think so The car worked fine before. A: So how does a car battery work? V: Well, two chemical reactions are occurring simultaneously inside the car battery. S: A reduction and an oxidation reaction, right? T: Yup. And for both reactions, sulphuric acid is needed. A: When a circuit is complete between the positive and negative terminal, the battery produces electricity through a series of electromagnetic reactions between the anode, cathode, and electrolyte. V: So which side undergoes reduction, and which side undergoes oxidation? S: The anode undergoes an oxidation reaction, where the sulphuric acid mixes with the spongy lead. This reaction results in the release of electrons, which then flows out of the anode and into the cars electrical circuit, producing the charge to start the vehicle. T: That would mean that the cathode undergoes a reduction reaction, right? A: Yup. The sulphuric acid mixes with the lead dioxide to create a reaction where the electron charge circulates through the cars circuit and returns into the battery through the cathode. V: This reduction reaction allows for the stop of the electron charge for each cycle of the circuit, since the same charge cannot be used again by the battery. T: This is due to the fact that the charge is unable to cross through the sulphuric acid solution and back into the anode. S: How does this all happen? A: Basically, for each reaction, a charge is transferred from the ions in the solution to the conducting electrons in the electrode. V: In the anode, a sulphate ion, from the sulphuric acid approaches the uncharged lead atom on the surface. >CHANGE SLIDE <The lead atom becomes ionized and forms an ionic bond with the sulphate ion. Two electrons are released into the spongy lead electrode. > CHANGE SLIDE - break T: In the cathode, a charged sulphate and hydrogen ions approach the uncharged lead dioxide. The > CHANGE SLIDE < lead dioxide atom changes ionization and forms an ionic bond with the sulphate ion. Two water molecules are released into the solution. > CHANGE SLIDE< S: So basically, the reaction in the anode creates electrons, and the reaction in the cathode absorbs them, forming electricity? > CHANGE SLIDE< T: Pretty much. And this cycle will continue over and over again until one or both of the electrodes run out of the substance necessary for the reaction to occur. A: In addition, the cells can be recharged by passing a current through the battery in the opposite direction, providing energy for the non spontaneous reverse reaction.

S: This reaction occurs when the engine is running. > CHANGE SLIDE < V: Now that we know about how the battery works, how is this going to help us fix the car? S: The extent to how much a lead acid battery can be charged is dependent on the density of the electrolyte. A fully charged battery has a density of 1.25 to 1.28 grams per milliliter, but each time the reaction occurs, the sulphuric acid is used up and the density decreases. T: If the density drops below 1.08 grams per milliliter, the battery will not be able to recharge, causing the battery to no longer function. A: A cause of this is cold weather, which result in increased electrolyte viscosity. V: Well, its not exactly cold S: I guess the battery is not the problem Airbags S: Well now that we know the battery is not the problem, lets take a look at other parts of the car now that we are at it. T: Yeah, let examine the airbags V: But it has nothing to do with the car breaking down! S: Sh Its okay, its okay let it be, let it be. A: Okay guys, let me quiz you, how long does it take for an airbag to inflate it minimize the impact on a body during a crash. V: Around 0.03 to 0.06 seconds T: Good try Vivian, but the answer is supposed to be around 0.03 to 0.05 seconds (Click on Pwrpnt). And the chemicals that are used to inflate the airbag is NaN3 otherwise known as sodium azide(Click on Pwrpnt). In order to inflate the airbag, sodium azide must be heated to produce nitrogen gas and sodium (click on pwrpnt). A: As you can see (point to the Pwrpnt diagram), to react sodium azide at a specific time, crash sensor at the front of the car is sends an electric current to a canister that contains sodium azide and heats up the reactants when a collision is detected. S: And knowing that sodium itself is a toxic chemical to humans it is mixed with both potassium nitrate and silicon dioxide to stabilize and convert sodium into another chemical compound (Click on Pwrpnt). First potassium nitrate reacts with sodium to produce sodium dioxide and potassium (Click on Pwrpnt). Then the sodium dioxide is reacted with silicon dioxide to produce silicate glass which is a stable and harmless solid (Click on pwrpnt). Steel Production T: Since car bodies are made primarily of steel, I think its necessary for us to take a look at the chemistry behind steel production! S: That sounds delightful. A: Well, the process basically starts with the production of iron. (Change slide) The iron is formed from raw materials of iron ore, coal and limestone. T: Coal is then converted to coke in order to fuel the iron-making furnaces. Coke is made by crushing coal sealing it in airtight ovens and then baking it for 12 - 16 hours. It is then removed as carbon fuel, or in other words, coke.

V: Limestone, coke, and iron are then loaded into the top of the blast furnace. Limestone is added in order to remove any impurities. T: (Change Slide) From below, a continuous blast of superheated air combusts the coal, intensifying the heat and changing the raw materials into molten iron. The coke is converted to carbon monoxide, which then acts as a reducing agent. 2 C + O 2 2 CO 3 CO + Fe 2 O 3 2Fe + 3 CO 2 S: (Change Slide) Recycled steel scrap is dumped into a basic oxygen furnace and then molten iron is added. High purity oxygen is then blown into the mix and supersonic speeds and molten iron becomes molten steel. All that remains is to mold and shape the steel. T: Here is a video on how steel can affect how green a car is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZlJ3HKXSdhc#! (2:58)

Coating S: Now that we reviewed how steel is produced, we must understand how it can be preserved by coating the body of the car. T: Coating the body of a car requires a series of steps in order to prevent it from corroding. A: First step to coating the body is to cleanse the metal surface from any grease or oil impurities using kerosene. (display a picture of kerosene)(click on pwrpnt) Kerosene is a hydrocarbon liquid that helps remove any grease or oil on the surface of the steel so that it can prevent the oil or grease from creating gaps that can allow corrosion to take place. Then alkali and water is used to finish cleaning the impurities from the surface. V: (Show a diagram of coating with zinc) Afterwards a coat of zinc is applied to the body of the car along with phosphoric acid to produces zinc phosphide as shown on the slide (displays zinc plus phosphoric acid reaction). This product is beneficial to preventing the body of the car from corroding because zinc phosphide corrodes at a slower rate than pure steel. As a result this can help a preserve a car's lifetime from 5-10 years (click on pwrpoint). S: (display electrocoating picture) Next the body submerged into a solution where a positive current is applied to the body acts as a cathode to attract the metal ions in the solution. As a result a coating is formed by the metal ions. (display electrocoating diagram) The coating of the electrode at the cathode end consists of both resin and pigment. Resin is used to provide corrosion protection and also strengthen the body of the car so it would be more durable. And pigment is used to provide colour and shine for the metal surface. T: Then the body is rinsed with water to wash off the excess of paint of the surface of the body, these excess can also be known as the drag out or cream coat and the cream coats that are washed off is then reused for coating other vehicles. Finally the metal is baked at a temperature of around 170-180 degrees Celsius to finalize the product. A: (Looks at her phone) Hey guys check this out, I found this cute little experiment on youtube. Its a little demo on how electrocoating works. (show clip) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw38bopyy70 (duration: 33s) V: Oh my goodness guys, notice how it coats the cathode metal and not the anode. T: Isnt it facinating? A: Indeed =

S: Ugh. I cant see what else it could be... T: I think were missing the most important part of the car! The engine! Engine > CHANGE SLIDE< V: Hm This looks complicated... A: Lets just break it down, just like we learned. In order for the engine to occur, a reaction called combustion must occur. >CHANGE SLIDE< V: I remember learning that in chemistry class! In order for a complete combustion to occur, when a hydrocarbon burns in oxygen, carbon dioxide and water is formed! A: And what happens when incomplete combustion occurs? T: Incomplete combustion occurs when there is not enough oxygen to allow the fuel to react complete, and instead of producing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide is produced. S: Right! And gasoline is made up of hydrocarbons. When gasoline reacts with the air, which contains 21 percent oxygen, 78 percent nitrogen, and other gases involved with the reaction, the desired reaction is a complete combustion, however, in reality, harmful emissions are released into the environment, causing pollution. A: Fortunately, due to catalytic converters, the ideal combustion conditions are met. I think we should examine the engine more closely. From what I can see, this is an internal combustion engine. V: Whats that? A: Basically, a small amount of gasoline is added to the engine, and it is converted into energy for the car to go in motion. T: From what I can see, similar to most cars, this is a four stroke cycle engine, also known as the Otto Cycle. S: Yup! Lets examine each part and see if it functions the way it is supposed to. > CHANGE SLIDE < A: As we know, this is called the piston. This is the most important part of the engine in order for it to run. S: The piston is the part of the engine that moves up and down inside the engines cylinder. The main role of the piston is to convert potential energy from the gasoline, into kinetic energy that turns the crankshaft. V: This is the crankshaft *points at diagram*. The crankshaft converts the force that is made by the piston moving up and down into force that will allow the car to be in motion, also known as kinetic energy. A: So how does this work? > CHANGE SLIDE < V: From what I remember, the first step is intake. T: Thats correct. Thats correct. During the intake stroke, the piston starts at the top, the intake valve opens, and the piston moves down to let the engine take in enough air and gasoline to fill the entire cylinder. V: Oh & inside, a mechanism called the fuel injection system makes sure that a precise ratio of 14.1 to 1 of air enters the cylinder. The two compound combine together, forming a mixture within the engine.

A: I think the next step is the called compression! S: Exactly! Do you remember what happens during this stage? A: I should... During the compression and combustion stroke, the piston moves up, causing a rapid pressure increase. S: And? A: I forgot... T: Let me help you. A spark plug causes the gasoline to ignite, which then causes the cylinder to explode, making the piston come down. A: Oh right! The next and final step should be the exhaust stroke. In this stage, once the piston hits the bottom of the stroke, the exhaust valve opens, and the products from the combustion are released, and are pushed out of the cylinder and into the exhaust system. V: What will cause an engine to not work properly? S: From what I remember, three fundamental things can happen. A bad fuel mix, lack of compression, or lack of spark. A: However, there can be more than those three reasons why the engine does not work. But those are the three major reasons why an engine may not be working. T: So what can cause a bad fuel mix to occur? V: One example could be that there is no gas, and the engine is trying to mix the two together, but only air is available. T: But I filled up the gas remember? A: True... Other examples include, the air intake might be clogged, so there is fuel but enough air. Or the fuel system might be supplying too much or too little fuel, causing the ratio to be off. S: I just checked all that. Doesnt seem to be the problem T: Well, it could be that there is an impurity in the fuel, such as water in the gas tank, which causes the fuel to not burn properly. But I dont think thats the case since I always fill up from the same gas station. V: How about lack of compression? S: If the valves are not sealed properly, the air and fuel mixture could leak during compression. A: Nope I dont see anything of that sort. T: Well the only thing it could be now is due to the lack of spark. V: That can occur if the ignition timing is off. S: Whats that? A: Its basically when the spark occurs too early or too late in the cycle. T: If that occurred, the car would have exploded S: Great Its not the problem with the engine. Then, I guess we should move down to the exhaust. Air Conditioning V: If that isnt the problem then it must be something that is very commonly used. Could it be with the headlight? T: Nope because remember how we said there was nothing wrong with the battery. S: What do we use all the time in the summer ? Let me see, air conditioning? A: Oh right , cars and other types of vehicles have a very different cooling system then normal cooling system right?

T: Thats a typical misconception because overall the main components of the air conditioning systems are the same. There are a few major parts of the system where the cooling effect begins and ends. A: I remember those from that one class we took in university ; the three major pieces of this system is the compressor, condenser and the evaporator. V: The compressor is used to pressurize the air in the cylinder to provide the cold air, which we crave for. The main mechanical parts of this device are the engine belt and the electrically operated clutch which controls the engine belt. S: But I dont see how this relates to the previous problems we had before , this is all mechanical work. A: Does it have to do with the engine belt? T: Yes as the air inside the compressor starts to increase in velocity , pressure will decrease . This can be explain through the simple equation of Bernoulli from fluid mechanic. This phenomenon then cause further chemistry relation reaction to produce cold air. S: Then when the pressure decrease, the temperature would also decrease. This can be explain through the gas equation PV=nRT ( show the picture of the equation). Assuming in a case of a closed system of a compressor, the volume of the gas, the mole of air are constant; pressure and temperature has a direct relation. As the temperature of the gas increases, the pressure of the gas also increases and vice versa. V: True , as this process continues, the gas will behave similar to an endothermic substance. The result of this continuous pressurization of the gas will cause the internal temperature of the gas to increase while the its surrounding temperature . A: As the gas is pressurized and has reached a certain temperature, it would condense. This condensation will occur in the condenser, the gas would move from the compressor to the condenser and during this process it would absorb heat and condense into a liquid form. S: The last major part of an AC would be the evaporator. At this point in time liquated gas would enter the evaporator. As the name for said, it is to evaporate the pressurized gas . As temperature decrease, the intra-molecular bonding strength also decreases due to the loss of energy. This intra-molecular bonding strength governs the boiling point of the molecule. T: So as the gas has become a low temperature pressurized gas, its intra-molecular strength also decreases, making it have a lower boiling point. Ah, I remember now, during this process the low temperature boiling of the gas would be able to withdraw some moisture from the interior of car. V: Making the air we move less humid, allowing us to more comfortable in the car. A: wait we all forgot a very important of the air conditioning. The drier is used to withdraw moisture from the low temperature pressurized air. As the heat is absorbed, some water molecule is in the gas. S: Yes and a common group of compound call desiccant is used to withdraw the excess moisture. They are hygroscopic only in its surrounding. Another group of compound call humectant can also be used to aid in the retention of water. Examples of desiccant are silica gel, activated charcoal, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, montmorillonite clay and molecular sieves. T: Could it be the wrong gas used in the air conditioning system? A: What ? I though any gas can used with the system. S: From I remembered, Freon are what usually use inside the AC. It is a register trade make of several different halocarbon. One of its infamous product CFC has depleted our ozone layer. V: Nowadays, gases such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluroethane, R-12 and etc around used in

T: R-134 also known as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoriethane is a organic compound specific group haloalkane refrigerant . It is less potent to the deplete the ozone layer compared to R-12 (structural diagram) Plastic A: if the air conditioning isnt the problem so then it must the an external problem ,could it be the plastic parts? T: as you can see we have already went over the metal parts of the car so lets just see the plastic part of the car and hopefully we will find something. V: the car bumper is one of the most common part of a car. It is common practice to use thermoplastic as it has a strong resistance to external strain. S: acrylic also known as polymethylmethacrylate. Some of its more industrially known names included Plexiglass and etc. Acrylic paint is acrylic molecule suspense in water . Specific antique car restoration may still use acrylic lacquers and enamel to restore the original car color. T: Acrylic resin (another term for plastic) also known as Polymethyl acrylate (PMMA)is what used in the lacquer , it is a clear , colorless thermoplastic made through a process of polymerization of methyl methacrylate monomer. S: PMMA belongs to the acrylate family of polymer, subdivision of vinyl polymer. The monomer acrylate is made through the esterification which contains vinyl groups. A: nylon have many different formation, but one of the most important nylon would be nylon 66. Its IUPAC name is hexan-1,6 diamine. Its molecular formula is C12H22N2O2. It is syntheize through the process of condensation copolymerization. (Show diagram) O O H2N-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-NH2 + HOC-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-COH HOO H2N-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-N-C-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-COH + H20 The byproduct of this reaction is water. The two monomers uses are adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine. As you can see it is an equilibrium reaction. It has a melting point of 255-265 degrees Celsius depending on the conditions. It is commonly used in airbags and tires. V: Polystryrene is commonly used in todays car industry. When I was reaching about the CRV that I was going to buy, I came across a blogger who said that his door on his CRV was made solely with Styrofoam. And so I look into it and guess was polystyrene is used but I dont really understand the purpose of it. T: Because first it is a thermoplastic which make car production much more efficient. Second it is extremely shock absorbent. Polystrene is a homo vinyl polymer. It is produced through the chemical process of free radical vinyl polymerization. Its monomer is styrene also known as vinyl benzene and phenyl ethane.Its chemical formula is C8H7. Styrene is produced through the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. V: Teflon is generally known for its infamous nonstick cook pan but it is also a great lubricant for gears parts or other mechanical parts as it reduce friction, increase the life span of the mechanism and reduce energy consumption. Its IUPAC name is polytetrafluoroethylene and it is produces through the polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene. S: Polyethylene

A: polypropylene is a widely used thermoplastic polymer especially for automotive parts. Its resist to wear and tear made it ideal as the material use for the production of the mechanism. Polypropylene is produced through polymerization. It can also be obtain by using naphtha through the procession of suspension. There are three common ways for industrial synthesis of polypropylene : suspension, bulk and gas phase. Suspension also known as hydrocarbon uses liquid S: Wait but what is naphtha? V: it is a flammable liquid , it represent a range of different flammable hydrocarbon liquid. It can range from a colorless stable liquid to a reddish-brown aromatic liquid that is extremely volatile. T: Polyethylene terephthalate is part of the thermoplastic family. It is produced from ethylene glycol and dimethy terephthalate (C6H4(CO2CH3)2) through the process of transesterification. This reaction occurs at 150-200 degree Celsius with basic catalyst. To maxiumize yield , this reaction has been alter slight. Through distillation to removed methanol , causing the reaction to move to the extreme right. Though high The reactions are idealized as follows: First step C6H4(CO2CH3)2 + 2 HOCH2CH2OH C6H4(CO2CH2CH2OH)2 + 2 CH3OH Second step n C6H4(CO2CH2CH2OH)2 [(CO)C6H4(CO2CH2CH2O)]n + n HOCH2CH2OH Or with terephthalic acid through the process of esterification . n C6H4(CO2H)2 + n HOCH2CH2OH [(CO)C6H4(CO2CH2CH2O)]n + 2n H2O Through natural degradation , PET is known to produce actaldehyde S:PVC , polyvinyl chloride is also readily used in the automotive industry. It is produce through a series of steps. First VCM is pressurized and is to be in the polymerization reactor. During this time suspension polymerization occurs in the water of the reactor . At this time, it is known as the slurry form. After several factory secret procedure, the PVC is purified and clean for the manufacturing of automotive parts.

A: Another form of non metal would be rubber. Rubber is used for the production of tires dues its naturally high coefficient of friction and its natural tolerance to stress from toque motion without permanent deformation. Synethic rubber is a polymer of elastomer. They are produce with petroleum byproduct. Example of synthetic would be polyurethane. It is part of a class of compounds call reaction polymer , its parts consist of epoxies, unsaturated polyester and phenolic. They are produce through the reaction of an isocyante with two of more isocyanate per molecule and a polyol with two or more hydroxy group in each of the molecule. This reaction would only occur with a catalyst of any tertiary amine for example 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane better known as DABCO or TEDA and metallic compound for example dibutyltin dilaurate.. This reaction is generally known as polymerization with a urethane linkage as its end product but more specifically gellation reaction or gelling.

Exhaust Pipe T: Okay, weve run out of options. The problem has to have something to do with the exhaust pipe.

A: Exhaust pipe? I know a thing or two about the exhaust pipe. S: Same here! Did you know that the main emissions of the exhaust pipe are nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide and water vapor? (Change Slide) T: Yeah, but the combustion that occurs is never perfect, and there are often small amounts of various other emissions that are produced. V: Oh yes, Ive heard about that. These gases prove to be very harmful to both people and the environment. A: Thats why there are catalytic converters in the exhaust pipe. These help convert harmful gases into harmless ones. V: Hmm, but what exactly are these harmful gases? S: Theyre carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides of course. (Change Slide) T: Lets discuss these harmful gases in a little more detail shall we? A: Yes, lets! (Change Slide) Carbon monoxide poses many threats, those of which can be short term or even permanently damaging. V: If I recall correctly, once carbon monoxide is breathed in, it actually replaces the oxygen in your blood, resulting in the death of cells, and causing your vital organs to starve of oxygen. T: Wow, sounds scary. S: Scary indeed! A large enough amount of this colorless, odorless and tasteless gas can kill you within minutes. A: (Change Slide) But even small doses of carbon monoxide poisoning can cause serious health issues. Long term dangers can affect you for the rest of your life. T: Yep, such as heart problems, cognitive or memory problems, brain damage, and various other problems. V: Phew, thank goodness for catalytic converters. What about the other two gases though? T: (Change Slide) Well, nitrogen dioxide is also quite toxic when breathed in. However, its not nearly as dangerous as carbon monoxide since it can easily be detected by its smell. S: Long term exposure to nitrogen dioxide can increase chances of respiratory symptoms. It also serves as a large scale pollutant. A: Nitrogen oxide on the other hand, may convert to nitric acid in the air, which can later be implemented in acid rain. This can cause irritation to human mucus membranes. T: (Change Slide) The hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds that are produced are major components of smog. V: Wow, despite their simple design, catalytic converters do so much! T: Thats for sure. Lets talk about how they actually accomplish these feats then. S: (Change Slide) Sounds good to me! Basically, in a converter, there are two different types of catalysts at work. One being a reduction catalyst, and the other being an oxidation catalyst. A: The general idea behind the catalytic converter is to create a structure with the a large surface area, while minimizing the amount of catalyst being used, as they are very expensive. T: The reduction catalyst is the first stage of the catalytic converter. V: What happens in this stage? T: Well, the reduction catalyst uses platinum and rhodium in order to help reduce nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions. When a nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide molecule comes in contact with the catalyst, it steals the nitrogen atom out of the molecule, freeing the oxygen and making oxygen gas. S: (Change Slide) This nitrogen atom then bonds with other nitrogen atoms that have been previously caught by the catalyst, forming nitrogen gas.

2NO => N2 + O2 or 2NO2 => N2 + 2O2 2NO => N2 + O2 or 2NO2 => N2 + 2O2

A: (Change Slide) Then comes the oxidation catalyst stage. This stage acts to reduce the unburned carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by oxidizing them using a platinum and palladium catalyst.

2CO + O2 => 2CO2 T: The two most common types of structures for catalytic converters are honeycombs and ceramic beads. The majority of cars use a honeycomb structure.

V: The third and final stage of the conversion process is what is called a control system. This systems monitors and keeps track of the exhaust stream. This information is used to control the fuel injection system. S: The oxygen sensor that is mounted upstream of the converter tells the engine computer exactly how much oxygen there is in the exhaust. The computer then decides whether or not to increase or decrease the amount of oxygen, by adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio. T: This is important, since there must always be a sufficient amount of energy in order for the oxidization catalyst to function. A: The catalytic converter is truly an amazing invention and it has reduced pollution substantially. T: Now, lets take a look and see if theres something wrong with our exhaust pipe. V: Watch out for carbon monoxide! S: Shh, the converter took care of that, dont worry. A: Hmm... Wait. Whats that? T: Lemme take a look. Uhh.. it looks like somethings stuck in the exhaust pipe..! S: It looks like a bird ? V: Wow, howd that get in there? T: Well, I guess we solved the problem, and even learned some chemistry along the way. Thats what I call killing two birds with one stone. Get it? HAHAHHAHA. S: More like killing two birds with one car! T & S: HAHAHAHHA.