What is sublimation?

Sublimation refers specifically to the transition of a substance directly from a solid state to a gaseous state without passing through the liquid phase. This process occurs under certain temperature and pressure conditions and is characteristic of certain materials, such as dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) or iodine. When these solids are heated, they gain sufficient energy to overcome the intermolecular forces holding their particles in place, allowing them to escape directly into the air as vapor. This phenomenon is different from other phase changes, such as melting (which involves a transition from solid to liquid) or freezing (which involves a transition from liquid to solid). Understanding sublimation is important in fields such as chemistry and physics, as it highlights the unique behaviors of substances under varying conditions.