Research

Before we learn about how to explode objects with dry ice, we need to grasp a better understanding of what dry ice really is. Dry ice was discovered by a French chemist, named Thilorier, in 1835. When he opened a cylinder of liquid carbon dioxide to observe it, he saw a solid block of dry ice at the bottom. Thus block was created because a decent amount of the liquid had evaporated. (Ackerman)

“Dry ice” may sound confusing, considering the fact that ice is frozen water, and water is a liquid. Dry ice does not melt at room temperature like regular ice would. Dry ice goes through a process called sublimation, which is when something passes straight from a solid form to a gas. (Breau)

Dry ice is extremely cold. Usually it is used for freezing/keeping things frozen. It is exactly -109.3℉ or -78.5℃ (Ackerman). Dry ice is widely used in keeping things frozen for long periods of time (Ackerman). There are also many other uses for dry ice, such as dry ice blast cleaning, which is a cleaning process that uses small, dense pellets and dry ice blocks to clean machines and more (“Dry Ice Uses”). Also, you can make a cool dry ice fog effect by putting hot water into a large bowl and gently putting the dry ice into it (“Dry Ice Uses”). Hunters and fishers use dry ice too, to freeze the meat (‘Dry Ice Uses”).

Dry ice is extremely dangerous. You should never let your skin make contact with it. If you do ever touch dry ice, your skin cells will die, creating a dry ice burn (Helmenstine). When handling dry ice, it is a good idea to use tongs when coming in contact with it (Helmenstine). It only takes a few seconds for the dry ice to burn you, so many safety precautions must be taken, such as wearing thick gloves and face-guards. You should also make sure to wear jeans and closed-toed shoes, just to make sure you don’t get hurt.

When dry ice sublimates, its produces carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide is not toxic, but it reduces the amount of oxygen in the air, making it hard for you to breathe. Dry ice can be extremely dangerous to one’s health if handled in an enclosed area. (Helmenstine)