• Question: Why is dry ice called dry ice?

    Asked by bellk19 to Simon on 11 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: Simon Brown

      Simon Brown answered on 11 Nov 2019:

      Dry ice is carbon dioxide cooled down to -78C. At this temperate if forms solid CO2 which looks and feels identical to water ice. We all know when water ice melts, it forms water which is wet. But when dry ice ‘melts’ (warms and becomes a gas), it is just CO2 and disperses into the air and leaves no residue. Therefore, it appears to be ‘dry’.

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