What is Dry Ice?

Most students hear the word "ice" and immediately think of frozen water — but dry ice is something completely different. Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO₂), and it gets its name from the fact that it does not melt into a liquid like regular ice does. Instead, it goes directly from solid to gas in a process called sublimation. The visible white fog is not carbon dioxide itself but condensed water vapour formed when the extremely cold dry ice cools the surrounding air. This unique property makes dry ice incredibly useful in situations where liquid water would cause damage or inconvenience.

• Sublimation: Dry ice skips the liquid stage entirely — it converts directly from solid CO₂ to gaseous CO₂ at -78.5°C under normal atmospheric pressure
• Temperature: Extremely cold at -78.5°C, making it far colder than regular ice which melts at 0°C
• White Fog Effect: The visible fog around dry ice is condensed water vapour from surrounding air, not CO₂ itself — CO₂ gas is invisible
• Uses: Widely used in food preservation, medical transport, special effects in films, and shipping of temperature-sensitive products
• Safety: Direct skin contact with dry ice causes frostbite — it must always be handled with insulated gloves due to its extremely low temperature