Dry ice has been a staple for haunted houses and performing arts for many years, but it also has some hidden uses. For those who are interested in learning about the strange qualities that make dry ice so interesting. VS Carbonics, a leading supplier of dry ice in Miami, is here with a few tips and tricks. Try these experiments on your own to get a better understanding of this fascinating solid form of carbon dioxide.
Create Fog
One thing that makes dry ice different from regular ice is the fact that it turns straight from ice to vapor without becoming a liquid in between. This process is known as sublimation, and you can easily produce the effect with just a little bit of dry ice and some hot water. The process is even more exciting if you do it in a dark room with a black light or other colored light. Just fill a cup or bowl with hot water and drop a piece of dry ice in the compartment. You will see fog begin to billow up instantly and flow along the floor. You can even trace how the air flows through the room by the direction of the fog as it bubbles out of the bowl.
Visible Lasers
Under normal conditions, a laser pointer shoots a powerful light to a point in the distance. The light is very focused and is not usually visible unless you are standing directly in front of the laser, which is bad for your eyes. However, when you aim lasers through a room full of dry ice fog, the entire laser beam becomes visible. This effect is commonly used for concerts and light shows, but you can make it happen all on your own.
Frozen Bubbles
Due to the very cold freezing temperatures of dry ice, it also has an instant cooling effect on other liquids. Gather up a little bit of dry ice from and then blow some bubbles onto the surface of the ice. The dry ice will instantly freeze the bubbles, turning them into semi-durable globes. You can pick them up gently and examine them, and you should be able to see frozen crystals of water trapped on the surface of the bubble. If you pop the bubble while it is still frozen, a tiny bit of fog will escape.
Blow Up a Balloon
As we mentioned above, dry ice turns to vapor rather than liquid. This vapor is a gas that expands, which is why it flows out of a container and fills the room. If you contain the gas within a balloon, you can see it expanding outward. All you have to do is drop a little bit of frozen dry ice into a balloon and tie it shut. As the dry ice slowly begins to sublimate, the vapor will begin to expand the balloon. The trick is discovering how much dry ice is the right amount. If you don’t put enough in, the balloon won’t properly inflate. If you put too much in, the balloon will continue to expand until it explodes.
Dry Ice Recipes
Dry ice is also fun to experiment with in your favorite foods. You can add a little bit of dry ice to fruit juice or fruit punch to create a mysterious party beverage. The dry ice will sublimate, creating a foggy effect, but some of the carbonizations will remain inside the drink, giving it a bubbly texture. You can also find ice cream recipes that are made with dry ice to create a fizzy, frothy flavor that is similar to a float. This is a fun treat that can be customized to each individual because the ice cream forms instantly at the point that you add the dry ice.
Where Can I Buy Dry Ice?
If you have big plans for experimenting with dry ice, you’re probably wondering where you can get your hands on enough of it to try all of these great experiments. The answer is that you can purchase directly or order dry ice delivery straight from VS Carbonics. We offer daily delivery on orders big and small so you can get just enough for your day of exploration. You can contact us by giving us a call to speak with one of our team members about your plans. We will answer any questions about dry ice that you have, make sure that you get enough to satisfy your curiosity and we can also demonstrate some of the intriguing properties of dry ice. We are experts in the use of dry ice ourselves, so we can even give you some other ideas for how to examine dry ice and explain why it works the way it does.
Visit VS Carbonics online today or call right away to schedule your delivery. We love sharing our passion for dry ice with those who want to create fun experiments!
