Is there always a liquid surface between a solid and gas?

[curiousoldguy]

So I'm reading that ice (solid) always has a liquid surface if it's surrounded by a gas. Does this mean every solid (e.g., my dining room table) also has a liquid surface because it's surrounded by gas? It doesn't seem to have a liquid surface. :-/ If something sublimes it skips this phase so I assume it's not true that every solid has a liquid surface. If I cool water ice to say 1 K it's hard to imagine there's liquid at the surface unless the vapor pressure was crazy low, no? Thanks for any insight. :)

 

[Dr. Courtney]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublimation_(phase_transition)

 

[Borek]

So I'm reading that ice (solid) always has a liquid surface if it's surrounded by a gas.

In short: it doesn't.

(and you will find much more elaborate explanation at the link Dr. Courtney posted).

 

[curiousoldguy]

Thanks. :)