Dry ice

is solid carbon dioxide. Here are some facts about dry ice that can help keep
you safe when working with it, plus are just fun to know.
Dry Ice Facts

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide.

Dry ice is extremely cold (-109.3F or -78.5C). At this temperature it sublimates from the
solid state into the gaseous state or undergoes deposition from gas to solid.

The first published observation of dry ice was in 1835 by French chemist Charles Thilorier.
He noted the formation of dry ice when a container of liquid carbon dioxide was opened.

Dry ice resemble snow or water ice.

Dry ice density usually ranges between 1.2 and 1.6 kg/dm3.
The molecular weight of dry ice is 44.01 g/mole.

The specific gravity of dry ice is 1.56 (water = 1).

Dry Ice Safety
Contact with dry ice can result in frostbite and cold burns. Avoid allowing contact between
dry ice and the skin, eyes, or mouth.

Use insulated gloves when handling dry ice.

Although dry ice and carbon dioxide are not toxic, the use of dry ice may present a
respiratory hazard because it can sink and displace air near the ground or when it mixes
with the air, there is more carbon dioxide (less oxygen) in each breath. Use dry ice in a
well-ventilated area.

Do not eat or swallow dry ice.

Do not seal dry ice in glass or other closed containers, since the pressure buildup may
result in breakage or bursting.

Question: Why Is Dry Ice Dangerous?

Dry ice is useful and fun for science, cleaning and refrigeration, yet it can be dangerous if stored
or used improperly. Here's a look at some of the hazards associated with dry ice and how to
avoid them.

Answer: First off, dry ice, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide, is not dangerous if it is stored
and used correctly. When people ask why dry ice is dangerous what they are really looking for is
an answer to whether or not dry ice can be used safely and, if so, how it can be handled safely.

Dry ice presents hazards because it is extremely cold and because it quickly sublimates into
carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide is not toxic, but it can build up pressure or displace normal
air, potentially causing problems. Here's a closer look at the dangers of dry ice and how to avoid
them:

Dry Ice Frostbite

Dry ice is extremely cold! Skin contact kills the cells, giving you a dry ice burn. It only takes a
couple of seconds to get burned, so it's best to use tongs or gloves when handling dry ice. Don't
eat dry ice. If you use it to cool a drink, be careful that you don't accidentally get a piece of dry
ice in your mouth or accidentally swallow some.

Asphyxiation

Dry ice forms carbon dioxide gas. Although the carbon dioxide isn't toxic, it changes the
chemistry of the air so that there is a lower percentage of oxygen. This is not an issue in a wellventilated area, but it can cause problems in enclosed spaces. Also, the cool carbon dioxide gas
sinks to the floor of a room. The increased concentration of carbon dioxide is more likely to
cause problems for pets or children than for adults, both because they have a higher
metabolism and because they may be closer to the floor where the concentration of carbon
dioxide is highest.

Explosion Hazard

Dry ice is not flammable or explosive, but it exerts pressure as it changes from solid dry ice to
gaseous carbon dioxide. If dry ice is placed in a seal container, there is a risk of the container
rupturing or of the cap rifling off of the container when you open it. A dry ice bomb produces
extremely loud noise and shoots out pieces of the container and dry ice. You could harm your
hearing and become injured by the container. Pieces of dry ice could become embedded in your
skin, giving you internal frostbite. To avoid these dangers, don't seal dry ice in a bottle, jar or
locking cooler. It's fine in a paper bag in your refrigerator or freezer or in a cooler without a tight
seal.

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. You can use dry ice to freeze bubbles solid so that
you can pick them up and examine them closely. You can use this project to demonstrate
several scientific principles, such as density, interference, semipermeability, and diffusion.
Materials

Bubble Solution (from the store or make your own)

Dry Ice
Gloves (for handling the dry ice)
Glass Box or Cardboard Box

Procedure
1. Using gloves to protect your hands, place a chunk of dry ice in the bottom of glass bowl
or cardboard box. Glass is nice because it's clear.
2. Allow about 5 minutes for carbon dioxide gas to accumulate in the container.
3. Blow bubbles down into the container. The bubbles will fall until they reach the layer of
carbon dioxide. They will hover at the interface between air and carbon dioxide. The
bubbles will start to sink as the bubbles cool and the carbon dioxide replaces some of the
air within them. Bubbles that come into contact with the dry ice chunk or fall into the cold
layer at the bottom of the container will freeze! You can pick them up for closer
examination (no gloves needed). The bubbles will thaw and eventually pop as they warm.

4. As the bubbles age, their color bands will change and they will become more transparent.
The bubble liquid is light, but it is still affected by gravity and is pulled to the bottom of a
bubble. Eventually, the film at the top of a bubble becomes so thin that it will open and
the bubble will pop.
Explanation
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is heavier than most of the other gases present in air (normal air is mostly
nitrogen, N2, and oxygen, O2), so most of the carbon dioxide will settle to the bottom of the
aquarium.

Bubbles filled with air will float on top of the heavier carbon dioxide. Here's a tutorial for
calculating molecular mass, just in case you want to prove this for yourself!
Notes
Adult supervision is recommended for this project. Dry ice is cold enough to give frostbite, so
you need to wear protective gloves when handling it.
Also, be aware that extra carbon dioxide is added to the air as dry ice vaporizes. Carbon dioxide
is naturally present in air, but under some circumstances, the extra amount can present a
health hazard.

Question: Can You Touch Dry Ice?

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. At -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (-78.5 degrees C), it's very, very
cold! Dry ice undergoes sublimation, which means the solid form of carbon dioxide turns directly
into a gas, without an intermediate liquid phase. Here's whether or not you can touch it and
what happens if you do.
Answer: The quick answer is: yes, you can touch dry ice very briefly without doing any harm.
You can't hold it very long or you'll suffer frostbite.
Touching dry ice is a lot like touching something that is very hot, like a hot plate. If you poke at
it, you'll feel the extreme temperature and may experience a little redness, but no permanent
damage is done. However, if you hold onto a hot plate or a cold piece of dry ice for more than a
second or so, your skin cells will burn/freeze and start to die. Extended contact with dry ice
causes frostbite, which can lead to burns and scars. It's okay to pick up a piece of dry ice with
your fingernails because the keratin isn't alive and can't be harmed by the temperature.
Generally, it's a better idea to wear gloves to pick up and hold dry ice. Metal tongs don't work
well because the dry ice vaporizes on contact, causing it to move around in the metal grip.
Swallowing dry ice is much more dangerous than holding it. The dry ice can freeze tissue in your
mouth, esophagus, and stomach. However, the biggest risk is from sublimation of dry ice into
gaseous carbon dioxide.
The extreme build-up of pressure could rupture your stomach, causing permanent injury or
possibly death. Dry ice sinks to the bottom of drinks, so it's sometimes seen in special fog effect
cocktails. The biggest danger probably is when people try to 'smoke' dry ice, where they put a
tiny piece of dry ice in their mouths to blow a puff of smoke. Although professional entertainers
and teachers may perform this demonstration, there is a real risk of accidentally swallowing the
piece of dry ice.

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It's extremely cold and sublimates into carbon
dioxide gas, so it's useful for a wide variety of projects. While it's almost certainly less expensive
to get dry ice from a store, it's possible to make it yourself using a CO2 fire extinguisher or
pressurized carbon dioxide in a tank or cartridge. You can get the carbon dioxide at several
types of stores (sporting good stores, some cookware stores) or you can order it online.

Homemade Dry Ice Materials

CO2 fire extinguisher or carbon dioxide tank

cloth bag
heavy-duty gloves

duct tape (optional)

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are labeled as such. If a fire extinguisher doesn't specify
"carbon dioxide" assume it contains something else and won't work for this project.

Make Dry Ice

Basically all you have to do is release the pressure on the gas and collect the dry ice. The reason
you use a cloth bag is because it will allow carbon dioxide gas to escape, leaving just the dry
ice.

1. Put on the heavy duty gloves. You don't want to get frostbite from the dry ice!

2. Place the nozzle for the fire extinguisher or the CO2 tank inside the cloth bag.

3. Either clamp your gloved hand around the mouth of the bag or else tape the bag onto the
nozzle. Keep your gloved hand clear of the nozzle.

4. Discharge the fire extinguisher or, if you are using a CO2 canister, partially open the valve.
Dry ice will immediately begin forming in the bag.

5. Turn off the fire extinguisher or close the valve.

6. Gently shake the bag to dislodge dry ice from the nozzle. You can remove the bag and use
your dry ice!

7. Dry ice sublimates quickly, but you can extend how long it lasts by storing the bag in the
freezer.

Safety Precautions

Dry ice freezes skin on contact. Be particularly careful to keep your hand away from the
mouth of the fire extinguisher or outlet of the CO2 tank.
Don't eat dry ice. If you use the dry ice to cool drinks, be careful not to get it in your
mouth.
Dry ice generates pressure as it sublimates. Don't store dry ice in a sealed container or it
may burst.