Endless Facts, One Snippet at a Time
Sublimation: How Dry Ice Skips the Liquid Stage
- Skipping Steps: Sublimation is when a solid changes directly into gas, skipping liquid.
- Dry Ice Star: Carbon dioxide in solid form sublimates at –78.5°C (–109.3°F).
- No Puddles: Dry ice never melts into liquid—it just vanishes into gas.
- Fog Effect: The gas mixes with air, creating the dramatic white fog we see on stage.
- Energy Swap: Sublimation requires heat, even though the dry ice feels freezing cold.
- Pressure Role: CO₂ needs very high pressure to exist as liquid, so at normal air pressure, it skips that step.
- Everyday Example: Frozen clothes in winter can sublimate ice crystals directly into vapor.
- Nature’s Way: Sublimation shapes snowy landscapes and helps form glaciers.
- Cooling Power: As it sublimates, dry ice absorbs heat, making it useful for keeping food cold.
- Science in Action: Sublimation is a key process in physics, chemistry, and even outer space.