What will happen to a sample of carbon dioxide (dry ice) at 5 atm and -100ºC when placed into a chamber at 1 atm and -15°C?

What will happen to a sample of carbon dioxide (dry ice) at 5 atm and -100ºC when placed into a chamber at 1 atm and -15°C?

• A. It will immediately begin to vaporize.
• B. It will immediately begin to melt.
• C. It will first melt and then quickly vaporize.
• D. It will remain as a solid.

Answer: (A)

When dry ice, which is solid carbon dioxide, is placed into a chamber at a lower pressure of 1 atm and a higher temperature of -15°C, it will indeed immediately begin to vaporize. At 5 atm and -100°C, carbon dioxide is in a solid state. However, with the change in pressure and temperature, the solid dry ice finds itself in conditions that favor transition to a gaseous phase. Carbon dioxide sublimates directly from solid to gas at pressures below 5.1 atm and temperatures above -78.5°C, which is significantly higher than -15°C. As the dry ice is moved to a lower pressure environment, the conditions allow the solid carbon dioxide to transform into gas rapidly, thus causing it to vaporize. In this scenario, the pressure drop from 5 atm to 1 atm plays a crucial role in reducing the sublimation point of carbon dioxide, making it energetically favorable for the solid to change into gas immediately, rather than transitioning through a liquid phase or remaining a solid.

When dry ice, which is solid carbon dioxide, is placed into a chamber at a lower pressure of 1 atm and a higher temperature of -15°C, it will indeed immediately begin to vaporize.

At 5 atm and -100°C, carbon dioxide is in a solid state. However, with the change in pressure and temperature, the solid dry ice finds itself in conditions that favor transition to a gaseous phase. Carbon dioxide sublimates directly from solid to gas at pressures below 5.1 atm and temperatures above -78.5°C, which is significantly higher than -15°C. As the dry ice is moved to a lower pressure environment, the conditions allow the solid carbon dioxide to transform into gas rapidly, thus causing it to vaporize.

In this scenario, the pressure drop from 5 atm to 1 atm plays a crucial role in reducing the sublimation point of carbon dioxide, making it energetically favorable for the solid to change into gas immediately, rather than transitioning through a liquid phase or remaining a solid.