Dry ice

Dry ice is a genericized trademark for solid ('frozen') carbon dioxide. The term was coined in 1925.

Related Topics:
Genericized trademark - Carbon dioxide - 1925

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Dry ice at normal pressures does not melt into liquid carbon dioxide but rather sublimates directly into carbon dioxide gas at −78.5°C (−109.3°F). Hence it is called "dry ice" as opposed to normal "wet" ice (frozen water).

Related Topics:
Sublimates - °C - °F - Ice

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Dry ice is produced by compressing carbon dioxide gas to a liquid form, removing the heat produced by the compression (see Charles' law), and then letting the liquid carbon dioxide expand quickly. This expansion causes a drop in temperature so that some of the CO2 freezes into "snow" which is then compressed into pellets or blocks.

Related Topics:
Charles' law - Temperature

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