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Text File  |  1993-06-08  |  960 b   |  60 lines
  1. Catalytic Converter
  2.  
  3. The catalytic
  4. converter helps
  5. reduce the amount
  6. of poisonous gases
  7. that the engine
  8. emits as a result
  9. of burning fuel. 
  10. The engine emits
  11. carbon monoxide and
  12. unburned
  13. hydrocarbons, and
  14. before the days of
  15. the catalytic
  16. converter, these
  17. would go straight
  18. out the tailpipe
  19. and into the
  20. atmosphere.  These
  21. emissions
  22. contributed greatly
  23. to the buildup of
  24. smog.  In the
  25. 1970s, legislation
  26. was enacted to cut
  27. down on the amount
  28. and types of
  29. emissions that were
  30. acceptable. 
  31.  
  32. Catalytic
  33. converters use a
  34. catalyst, often a
  35. very thin coating
  36. of platinum, to
  37. change the carbon
  38. monoxide and
  39. unburned fuel to
  40. carbon dioxide and
  41. water vapor,
  42. substances that are
  43. much less damaging
  44. to the environment. 
  45.  
  46. Leaded gasoline
  47. cannot be used in
  48. engines that are
  49. fitted with
  50. catalytic
  51. converters, because
  52. the lead in the gas
  53. combines with the
  54. platinum to render
  55. the converter
  56. useless. 
  57.  
  58.        -end-
  59.  
  60.