What is Sublimation?

Sublimation is the process where a substance transitions directly from a solid state to a gas state without passing through the liquid phase. This occurs under specific temperature and pressure conditions where the solid's molecules gain enough energy to overcome the forces holding them together, resulting in the formation of gas. A common example of sublimation is dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), which directly vaporizes into carbon dioxide gas at atmospheric pressure without becoming a liquid.

Understanding sublimation is important in various scientific and practical applications, including freeze-drying processes and the behavior of certain materials in varying environmental conditions. The other phases of matter transitions, such as liquid to solid, gas to liquid, and liquid to gas, represent different processes that do not describe the phenomenon of sublimation, thereby confirming that sublimation specifically refers to the solid to gas transition.