Dry Ice Projects

Dry Ice Fog Effect

To create a fog effect with dry ice, you will need:
  1.   a large container
  2.   hot water
  3.   dry ice
CAUTION: Only use dry ice in a well-ventilated area. The carbon dioxide released from dry ice will displace oxygen.

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Fill a metal or plastic container half full with hot water, add a few pieces of dry ice every 5 to 10 minutes. As water cools, it will be necessary to start over with hot water to maintain the fog effect. As a rule of thumb, one pound of dry ice will create 2-3 minutes of fog effect. The hotter the water, the more fog but the quicker dissipation of the dry ice.
When you place dry ice into some warm or hot water, clouds of white fog are created. This white fog is not the CO2 gas, but rather it is condensed water vapor, mixed in with the invisible CO2. The extreme cold causes the water vapor to condense into clouds. The fog is heavy, being carried by the CO2, and will settle to the bottom of a container, and can be poured. You can produce enough ground - hugging fog to fill a medium-sized room with a pound or so of dry ice. Do not allow anyone to lie down in this fog, or allow babies or pets into it, as CO2 gas does not support life.

Dry Ice Punch

To make a foggy dry ice punch bowl, you will need: ? a large bowl for the dry ice
  1. a smaller bowl for the punch
  2. hot water
  3. dry ice
CAUTION: DO NOT let the dry ice come in contact with punch! If the dry ice comes into contact with the punch, tiny chips may flake off and burn the throats of those drinking the punch. Be careful!
Place a smaller punch bowl into a large metal or plastic container half full with hot water and a few pieces of dry ice. Then add punch to the punch bowl, making sure that the dry ice does not come into contact with the punch. Again, as the water cools, it will be necessary to start over with hot water to maintain the fog effect.
As a rule of thumb, one pound of dry ice will create 2-3 minutes of fog effect. The hotter the water, the more fog but the quicker dissipation of the dry ice.

Laser & Fog Fun

  1. For this experiment, you will need: ? any kind of laser beam or laser show machine
  2. a large container for holding hot water
  3. dry ice
CAUTION: Only use dry ice in a well-ventilated area. The carbon dioxide released from dry ice will displace oxygen.

Low powered VLDs and HeNe lasers do not produce visible beams in clear air, unless you look almost directly into them, at which time you see a sparkling effect produced by the beam scattering off the dust particles. Mount the laser on a tripod and aim it across a large field at night. Hike to the other end of the field and look back at the laser (while you're there, measure the diameter of the beam - you'll be surprised). To be able to see the beam from larger angles requires that the beam be scattered by more than just dust. Use dry ice to make fog. Just drop chunks of dry ice into some hot water for a dense ground - hugging fog. For safety, don't allow anyone - pets or people - to lie down in this fog, as they could be asphyxiated. CO2 gas does not support animal or human life.

Fog Cutter

While you've got this dense fog filling your living room, try this: Get a small polished cylindrical object, such as a drill bit, and aim the laser beam at the cylinder. The beam will spread out into a fan. Aiming the beam through a glass or clear plastic stirring rod will do the same thing. Now orient the cylinder or rod vertically so the laser fan sweeps out in a horizontal sheet. Look at the cross section this cuts in the fog. Try not to disturb the fog too much, but let it settle down into a steady, ever shifting maelstrom of micro eddies and vortices. It's incredible to watch. When you place dry ice into some warm or hot water, clouds of white fog are created. This white fog is not the CO2 gas, but rather it is condensed water vapor, mixed in with the invisible CO2. The extreme cold causes the water vapor to condense into clouds. The fog is heavy, being carried by the CO2, and will settle to the bottom of a container, and can be poured. You can produce enough ground - hugging fog to fill a medium-sized room with a pound or so of dry ice. Do not allow anyone to lie down in this fog, or allow babies or pets into it, as CO2 gas does not support life. Dry ice fog allows low powered laser beams to be seen; see the laser experiments page for details.

Ghostly Floating Bubbles

For this dry ice experiment, you will need:
  1. a fish aquarium or similar large, clear container for holding water
  2. dry ice
  3. bubbles & a bubble wand
CAUTION: Dry ice is very cold and will freeze your skin instantly. Never let dry ice touch any part of your body. Use only heavy gloves or tongs to handle dry ice.

You'll notice that when you add dry ice to water, the cloud of carbon dioxide and water does not go up into the air, but instead falls toward the ground. Why? This cloud-like mixture of carbon dioxide and water is heavier than the surrounding air.
A small fish aquarium works well for this activity. Fill the bottom of the aquarium about an inch deep with warm water. Use gloves or tongs to add a few pieces of dry ice. Of course, the dry ice will begin to smoke turning into carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Using a bubble wand and a bottle of bubble fluid, blow a few bubbles into the aquarium (it's a little difficult, so be patient). To everyone's amazement, a few bubbles will appear to float in mid-air in the aquarium. The bubble is really just floating on a cushion of invisible carbon dioxide gas. Of course, the spooky Halloween story is up to you... but I'm almost certain that the aquarium is the home of a ghost who has been known to play with soap bubbles!