What is Dry ice: Definition and 22 Discussions

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is used primarily as a cooling agent, but is also used in fog machines at theatres for dramatic effects. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue (other than incidental frost from moisture in the atmosphere). It is useful for preserving frozen foods where mechanical cooling is unavailable.
Dry ice sublimates at 194.7 K (−78.5 °C; −109.2 °F) at Earth atmospheric pressure. This extreme cold makes the solid dangerous to handle without protection from frostbite injury. While generally not very toxic, the outgassing from it can cause hypercapnia (abnormally elevated carbon dioxide levels in the blood) due to buildup in confined locations.

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  1. L

    Dry ice -- How do the stores keep it from evaporating?

    Ok, how do stores keep dry ice from sublimation(i think i spelled that correctly) or evaporating? Are the coolers at my local walmart some sort of special type of mechanism? thanks
  2. nmsurobert

    Build Comets in Classroom using Dry Ice and Blow Dryer

    i wasnt sure where to post this question. I want to build "comets" in my class room using dry ice. I am sure a few of you have seen this demo before. however, i want to use a blow dryer to warm it and to also create a stream of air so we can see the "tail" of the comet. I am also hoping that...
  3. _Anthony_

    Dry ice and acetone, endothermic?

    For decades I've wonder. Is there an endothermic reaction between dry ice and acetone? With ice, salt forces a phase change lowering the temperature but that doesn't seem applicable here.
  4. P

    Strength of container for vacuum freeze drying

    I have read that freeze drying is the best way to salvage wet books (http://www.ccaha.org/uploads/media_items/technical-bulletin-salvaging-books.original.pdf). However, freeze dryers run in the thousands of dollars, and I don't know anyone who has one I can borrow. Solution: make my own! I...
  5. N

    Dry ice sublimation, heat balance

    Homework Statement The problem is this: what is the optimum amount of dry ice inside the Styrofoam pack, if we want to received a frozen dough (temp.-18) after 3 days of transportation in temperature 20 C ? My calculations and data placed in the attached excel file, but I'm not sure if they...
  6. C

    Planet with dense neon atmosphere and streams of CO2

    Idea is a cold planet with dense atmosphere (10 atm) where human can survive, while a liquid carbon dioxide would be possible. As the main component of atmosphere I think about neon, because it should not cause nitrogen narcosis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_narcosis#Causes...
  7. gracy

    Making Dry Ice at Home: Pressure & Temperature Explained

    what is Deposition, also known as desublimation, point of CO2 is it room temperature? i don't think so then how can we obtain this at room temperature as in this video and what pressure is required to solidify co2,is it 1 atm ?i don't think so then how we obtain this in a room as in above...
  8. mishima

    Alcohol gel cooled with dry ice

    Hi I tried cooling down some 91% isopropyl alcohol with dry ice. After a few minutes, the alcohol became a thick gel. I am wondering what is going on there, thanks.
  9. H

    Calculating Internal Energy of Solid CO2: How to Obtain Thermodynamic Values?

    I am doing a simple thermodynamic analysis. Couldn't get thermodynamic values (such as internal energy, exergy, and so on) from common data base of CO2. I looked it up in REFPROP(By NIST) and EES. None of them have data below 212K. At one atmosphere CO2 sublime at about 195K. Could anyone...
  10. M

    Storing Dry Ice in a Freezer: Is it Safe?

    Hello, is it safe to store approximately 5-10 pounds of dry ice in a normal freezer, because my grandpa came to town today from his elk hunting trip, and he seems to think so. Please comment, because I know that dry ice can be dangerous if used improperly. The dry ice is currently being stored...
  11. P

    Does Dry Ice Dissolve in Water?

    is solid carbon dioxide(dry ice) soluble in water
  12. I

    Sublimation of Dry Ice in a Closed System

    Hello, Please forgive my ignorance, although bright, I was a lousy student, & never took physics in school. I find it frustrating when relatives & friends are uncertain as to how to respond to questions like those below, so your educated reply would therefore be all the more appreciated...
  13. M

    Why Is Dry Ice's Energy Change Considered Internal Rather Than Enthalpy?

    Hi everyone I need your help in the following problem: Some dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) at -78oC is placed in a steel jar, which is subsequently sealed. The jar is immersed in a large beaker of water at room temperature until the dry ice has completely vaporized. If the measured energy...
  14. M

    Bomb Calorimeter with warm water and dry ice - Mass loss?

    In bomb calorimeter, when dry ice is added to warm water, the final mass of the inner cup and remaining water is less than the initial mass of the inner cup and water. The calorimeter did not decrease in mass so it means water is lost but not gone it just changes it state. The water was in...
  15. D

    Heat of fusion of water ice and dry ice (CO2) - need some insight

    I have decided to do away with the template; all calculations have been done, I'm just having trouble interpreting the results. An experiment was performed using a calorimeter and warm water. The data collected gave the following values for heat of fusion for ice, and heat of sublimation of dry...
  16. G

    The Mystery of Dry Ice Smoke: Is it CO2?

    Does anyone know why you can see the smoke coming from dry ice? Is it actually CO2? It does not make sense to me, why could I see CO2 evaporating, but I cannot see it normally? Is it the moisture in the air that I can see reacting with the cold CO2?
  17. B

    Ice vs. Dry Ice total BTU cooling to 25 degrees C

    I wanted to ask which would provide the largest total BTU cooling regular ice from water or dry ice to reach a temperature of 25 degrees C? 1 lb of Ice would start at -3 degrees C to 25 degrees C at sea level = total BTU 1 lb of Dry ice would start at -80 degrees C to 25 degrees C at sea...
  18. C

    How Much Dry Steam Is Required to Melt Ice in an Open System?

    I need a kick start for the following question. We're studying open/closed systems at the moment. "450kg of ice at -18 degrees C is to be removed from a freezer using a jet of steam. How much dry steam at 100 degrees C is required if the final temp of the effluent is 5 degrees C?" This is...
  19. M

    Dry ice substituting for liqud nitrogen?

    Liquid Nitrogen and Dry Ice Hi I am doing an experiment for my chemistry independent project which is on doing super conductors, well i am doing one wherre you take YBa2Cu3O7 - the so-called "1-2-3" superconductor and put it in liquid nitrogen and it makes a rare Earth magnet levitate above it...
  20. D

    Explosive Physics Experiments: Dry Ice and Water Balloon

    Not long ago I read an article here in PF about explosion of dry ice in a bottle and I just accidentally found one of the video... If you are interested, u might want to check it out: http://www.spikedhumor.com/Article.aspx?id=360 Another physics experiment performed on water balloon...
  21. P

    Can you swim in melted dry ice?

    If I melt dry ice, can I swim without getting wet? I'm just curious: What makes dry ice dry?
  22. Loren Booda

    Exploring the Impact of Dry Ice on Earth's Climate

    Dry ice forms at -109.6oF. The record low natural temperature measured on Earth (Antarctica) was approximately -129oF. Does the solidification of carbon dioxide mediate temperature there, either by heat of sublimation or reduction of greenhouse effect? Would long-term global climate be...
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