AFOQT Practice Test

What is the product of dry ice sublimating?

1. Solid CO2

2. Liquid CO2

3. Gas CO2

4. Ice

The correct answer is: Gas CO2

The correct answer is that the product of dry ice sublimating is gas CO2. Sublimation is the process where a solid transitions directly to a gas without passing through a liquid state. In the case of dry ice, which is solid carbon dioxide (CO2), it absorbs heat from its surroundings, causing the solid to vaporize and produce carbon dioxide gas. This is a common phenomenon with dry ice, which is why it is often used for creating fog effects and in refrigeration, as it skips the liquid phase entirely. Understanding sublimation is key to grasping why solid CO2 transforms directly into a gas. The other choices do not accurately represent the end product of the sublimation process; for instance, liquid CO2 is not typically formed from dry ice under normal atmospheric conditions. Similarly, ice refers to frozen water, which is not relevant to the sublimation of CO2. Solid CO2 is the starting material, not the product, and thus does not fit the question's requirement.