Complete Sublimation Process

Tap every apparatus part to learn its function
Student Mode

Investigation

Mission: follow the numbered route from heated solid to purified crystal deposit.

90 °C
5 °C
35 kPa
1.5×
1.0×

Whole process

1Heat: hot plate warms the solid sample.
2Sublime: surface molecules escape directly as vapor.
3Transport: vapor rises through the low-pressure chamber.
4Cool: molecules lose energy at the cold finger.
5Deposit: purified solid crystals form.

Measurements

Sample mass100.0 g
Sublimation rate0.00 g/min
Collected crystals0.0 g
Vapor pressure0.0 kPa

Current observation

Press Start. Orange arrows show heat, purple particles show vapor, and blue arrows show cooling.

Mass transfer graph

sampledeposit

Camera

1.00×

Teacher tools

Step-by-step narrated process

Ten chapters follow the complete apparatus route.

Step 0 of 100%

What to watch: Start when ready.

Narration has not started.

Ready

Language and voice

Chapters

Learning objectives

  • Identify the sample dish, hot plate, chamber, cold finger, coolant tubes, gauge, vacuum line, trap, and crystal deposit.
  • Explain the complete solid → gas → solid route.
  • Predict effects of temperature, pressure, surface area, and cooling.
  • Distinguish sublimation from melting and deposition.

How the apparatus works

A solid in a shallow dish is gently heated. High-energy surface molecules enter the gas without melting. Low chamber pressure supports vapor transport. A water-cooled cold finger removes molecular energy, so purified crystals deposit on it. The trap protects the vacuum pump.

Try this

  • Increase sample temperature and watch vapor production.
  • Increase surface area to represent a powdered sample.
  • Lower the cold-finger temperature to improve collection.
  • Tap every apparatus part and read its temporary function card.

Applications

Iodine and camphor can be purified by sublimation. Freeze-drying removes ice under low pressure. Dry ice cools without leaving a liquid at ordinary pressure.

Process quiz

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