• Question: can a solid be instantly be made to a gas or does it need to be a liquid first?

    Asked by to Edward, Ian, Mathew, Naomi, sakshisharda on 17 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Ian Stephenson

      Ian Stephenson answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      Absolutly it can. It’s called sublimation, and the most common example is Carbon dioxide. When it’s frozen its called dry ice, precicly because when “melts” it doesn’t turn into a liquid but becomes a gas.

      It depends on the pressure, so other materials can be persuaded to do it to if the preaseure is right.

    • Photo: Naomi Osborne

      Naomi Osborne answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      Hi 13bcross,

      You can learn more about changing physical states, including sublimation on this site – http://www.gcsescience.com/e9-substance-physical-state.htm

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