What are some fun things one can do with dry ice?

Question

why is it harmful to touch?

Answer 1

Dry ice can do a lot of things, and I can only recall a few.

First, "dry ice" is actually frozen carbon dioxide, CO2, which is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures. To make dry ice, CO2 has to be chilled to an extremely low temperature. Dry ice does not melt as water ice does, but "sublimes," which is a process where a solid material changes directly from a solid to a gas as it absorbs heat. I cannot recall the temperature of dry ice, but think it is lower than 200 Farenheit degrees below zero.

NOTE: Due to the extreme low temperature of dry ice, it should not be allowed to come into contact with bare, unprotected skin!!!!! Such contact for more than, and sometimes less, than a second can freeze to the skin, and instantly freeze the skin and the tissue beneath it. This feels like a very painful heat burn injury, and can cause severe damage to the underlying muscles. Do NOT handle dry ice with bare hands, and DO NOT horseplay with it and other people as someone could be very seriously injured!!!!! It should go without saying that dry ice should not be allowed to contact the lips or be inside ones mouth, but some ignorant people put it into beverages that people then drink out of. Very dangerous and bad idea.

Some of the uses of dry ice include:

1. To pack in "coolers" with food, or other products which require being kept frozen.

2. To place in deep freezers or refrigerators during times when electrical power is off.

3. To add to party punch bowls to provide a bubbling, heavier than air "fog" creating "spooky" visual effects.

4. To chill very close tolerance mechanical parts to slightly "shrink" them in order to allow them to be inserted into holes [or openings] into which they would not fit at normal ambient temperatures.

5. To insert [as far as possible] into a water pipe which has had a section cut out for replacement, and requires some way to prevent the slight seepage of water into a new "sweat" connection while it is being soldered.

6. A method of "inerting" the atmosphere within small containers or enclosures by filling with the subliming CO2 gas which can displace the air. This is not efficient for large volumes, where high pressure gas in cylinders is the most efficient. But for small volumes, the dry ice is more convienent to handle and less expensive than a cylinder of gas much larger than needed.

There probably are many other uses for which I am unable to recall, and perhaps someone else can improve this answer.

Answer 2

I'm glad you asked that question!  :D

You can carbonate things!

Carbonating fruit:

http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/05...

Here's a link to many experiments (involving food):

http://blog.khymos.org/category/ferran-a...

Heston Blumenthal has some interesting recipes, too.

Answer 3

Play with the ice.

It is harmful to touch the ice because it may stick into your hands and you will suffer big problem and you have to go to hospital.

Answer 4

Dry ice is extermely cold and can give you a first-degree "burn" if you touch it with bare skin.

There is a prank in which you put a small piece of dry ice into a balloon and tie the mouth shut. You place a few drops of water on the floor of a friend's room and set the balloon on it. The dry ice freezes the water to both floor and balloon. You do this just before the friend returns. As the dry ice sublimes, it inflates the balloon. Most people will try to pick it up, which results in a very loud bang as you rip the balloon. One person the trick was tried on just upended an empty wastepaper basket over the whole mess and left until the whole thing warmed up to room temperature.