It’s back to school time here in Buffalo and Rochester, but that doesn’t mean fun time is over – especially if you have a little dry ice on hand.

Dry ice can be a fun to use in experiments – as long as you handle it safely (see instructions below). It has cool properties (literally) that cause it to fog, make bubbles, and even make noises when used with other objects.

Here are three fun science experiments to try – grab some dry ice and give them a go! But first, some notes on dry ice safety.

Dry Ice Safety

• Dry ice is not a toy! Use it only with adult supervision.
• Dry ice must be handled using heavy gloves or tongs. It will cause severe burns if it comes in contact with bare or unprotected skin.
• Always wear safety goggles when handling dry ice. The debris and shards are extremely dangerous to your eyes. When tapping dry ice with a hammer, first cover it with a towel to keep the pieces in one place.
• Never put dry ice in your mouth.
• Never store dry ice in an airtight container. As the dry ice sublimates, gas pressure will build and the container will explode.
• Do not store dry ice in your freezer. It will cause your freezer to become too cold and the freezer may shut off.
• In the unlikely event of a dry ice burn, treat it the same as you would a heat burn. See a doctor if the skin blisters or comes off.

Project 1: Balloon Blow Up

Materials

• Dry ice
• Empty soda bottle
• Balloon

Instructions

• Put a few small pieces of dry ice into the bottle, then quickly put the opening of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
• As dry ice sublimates (turns from a solid to a gas – in this case carbon dioxide), it will blow up the balloon. When the balloon is fully inflated, take it off of the bottle and tie the end.
• Next, blow up another balloon with your breath and tie the end.
• Once both balloons are filled and tied off, throw them both in the air and see which one sinks more quickly to the ground

The Science
Dry ice is not made from water, it’s frozen carbon dioxide (CO2). Unlike ice that you put in drinks, dry ice never becomes a liquid; it turns directly into a gas. Carbon dioxide weighs more than air, so anything filled with it will sink more quickly than the same object filled with air.

Project 2: Screaming Metal

Materials

• Dry ice
• Quarter
• Metal spoon
• Other pieces of metal

Instructions

• Place a piece of dry ice on a flat surface.
  • Make sure to wear gloves or use tongs when handling the dry ice.
  • Place a towel underneath the dry ice before laying it down; don’t put the dry ice directly on tables or countertops because it could damage them.
• Once the dry ice is in place, put a quarter on top. After a few seconds, the quarter will vibrate and make a squealing sound. You can also try the experiment with a metal spoon, knife, or other flat pieces of metal. Experiment to see what kinds of sounds you can make!

The Science
The metal makes a sound as dry ice sublimate around it; this causes the metal to vibrate very quickly, which makes the sound that you hear.

Project 3: Foggy Gurgling Bubbles

Materials

• Large container
• Dry ice
• Liquid dish soap
• Warm water
• Tongs

Instructions

• Fill a container about halfway full of water. Add a few drops of dish soap, stirring the soap into the water.
• Add a few pieces of dry ice.
• The soap bubbles will have fog in them from the dry ice. The mix will also begin to produce bigger than normal bubbles of soap. As more dry ice sublimates in the water, the bubbles will spill over the container. The mixture will also make a sound similar to water boiling.

The Science
Another cool example of dry ice sublimation!

Planning a summer camping trip or vacation, but want to take some of the more perishable comforts of home with you?

Why not give dry ice a try?

Dry ice makes it possible for you to transport frozen or perishable food in a sturdy, quality cooler, helping you to avoid the leaks, mess, and constant need for replenishment that comes with using wet ice (when dry ice melts, it simply turns to gas, or sublimates, so there’s no puddling).

Here are some dry ice basics for your next trip to the woods – or anywhere else the spirit may take you.

10 tips for traveling with dry ice

1. Always follow safe handling instructions for dry ice!
2. Plan on using 10 to 20 pounds of dry ice for every 24-hour period, depending upon the size of the ice chest. Dry Ice will keep everything in its container frozen, including extra ice – so keep non-frozen goods with regular ice in a separate cooler.
3. Dry Ice normally comes in 10-inch squares that weigh about 10 pounds each; plan to put one square per each 15 inches of ice chest length (that’s approximately two squares, weighing 20 pounds, for an average 40-quart cooler). For larger containers and longer travel times, multiply dry ice quantities by these rates.
4. At -109.0°F, dry ice will continue to freeze everything in its container until it is completely sublimated. These frozen items will take some extra time to thaw because they have been so cold, so plan accordingly.
5. Since cold sinks, keeping dry ice on top of items you wish to freeze will work better.
6. When packing items in a cooler or any other container, fill any empty space with wadded newspaper or some other insulating filler; open space in your cooler will cause the dry ice to sublimate faster.
7. The best storage container is a three-inch thick urethane insulated box.
8. Lining the inside of your ice chest with sheets of Styrofoam will increase the life of dry ice. Sublimation will vary depending on the temperature, air pressure and thickness of insulation; the more dry ice you have stored in the container, the longer it will last.
9. If transporting your dry ice by car, try to insulate the ice chest with sleeping bags; this will make the dry ice last longer. If the dry ice is inside the car (not in the trunk) for more than 10 minutes, keep windows slightly open to avoid overexposure to CO2 (signs include rapid breathing, headache, and blue fingernails or lips). Open windows immediately if you or anyone in the car experiences these symptoms.
10. If transporting your dry ice by plane, try to pick it up as close to departure time as possible, and carry it in a well-insulated ice chest or soft pack. Most airlines will not let you carry more than two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of Dry Ice on the airplane without special arrangements.

Need dry ice for your next travel adventure? We have it! Visit one of our convenient locations to pick up yours today.

Dry ice is the perfect way to send perishable foods to a loved one or customer – but shipping with it does require some special considerations and preparation if you want your precious cargo to arrive safe and fresh.

Here are some basics to shipping with dry ice:

1. Purchase quality dry ice – Buy your dry ice from a reputable supplier (Irish Carbonic has all the dry ice you need, available for pickup at one of our convenient locations).
2. Use quality packing materials – Quality corrugated cardboard, plastic, or wooden boxes will protect your shipment, and it will prevent the dry ice bags from rupturing (we have great packing materials, too).
3. Add Styrofoam – Add a Styrofoam layer to your shipping box – an inexpensive cooler, for example, can be placed inside.
4. Take precautions when handling dry ice – Always follow dry ice safe handling precautions!
5. Pack the box – Wrap food in plastic or paper bags prior to packing. Pack the food and dry ice together tightly, using newspaper or cellulose to minimize gaps and provide insulation. Packs of dry ice should be on the bottom, followed by food items. Alternate between dry ice and food items, filling in gaps with bubble wrap and newspaper until the box is full. If you’re using a Styrofoam cooler, do not seal it completely as this can prevent the package from releasing pressure.
6. Check your shipping address – This is always important, but particularly when you’re shipping perishable items.
7. Mark the package correctly – Dry ice is considered hazardous material, so it needs to be marked properly prior to shipment. Ask for the following labels at your post office or from your courier:
   • A label that says “Dry Ice” or “Carbon Dioxide Solid.”
   • A label that reads UN 1845 (indicates hazardous materials).
   • A label that indicates the net worth of dry ice in your container (keep track of how much dry ice you use!)
   • A Class 9 label – This indicates that the package contains dry ice – they’re free at most post offices and from your courier. Put the Class 9 label on the same side of the package that contains the UN 1845 label.
8. Complete all paperwork – Ask your post office or shipping professional for the proper paperwork, which could include a shipper’s declaration (a slip that includes basic information about yourself and the recipient).
9. Other considerations – Dry ice lasts a maximum of about three days; overnight shipping is usually best, especially when shipping items like meat. However, if meat is vacuum packed, two day shipping may be enough. Do not choose options that take more than two days to ship. And be prepared for extra regulatory costs – Call your local post office or courier for details.

Irish Carbonic sells quantities of dry ice ranging from individual portions of dry ice rice pellets to massive 10,000-pound commercial deliveries in block form – available for pickup or convenient delivery to your location. Contact us to learn more – or stop by one of our convenient locations to get some today!

Dry ice is perfect way to liven up your Halloween – and we’ve got all you need in stock at our convenient store locations.

Whether you want to make a spooky witch’s cauldron, a foggy Jack-O-Lantern, a smoking drink, or simply fill the room with creepy fog, our dry ice will take your take your Halloween up a notch (just be sure to follow these simple precautions).

Stop in and stock up on dry ice at our convenient store locations today to make your 2017 Halloween SPOOKTACULAR! We’ll see you soon!

IRISH CARBONIC
1444 Clinton Street | Buffalo, NY 14206
(716) 827-2727 | Map & Directions »

IRISH CARBONIC AND PROPANE
535 Buffalo Road | Rochester, NY 14611
(585) 254-6844 | Map & Directions »

Halloween is our second favorite time of year, right after St. Patrick’s Day.

Spooky dry ice witches cauldron?  Check.  Rocks glasses that hold dry ice to create a foggy cocktail?  Check.  Dry ice in block and nugget form?  Check.  Starting in early October, before you go to the exhausting effort of trying to find all your spooky effects to liven up your Halloween party, why not save yourself the trouble and come to your Halloween one stop shop headquarters, Irish Carbonic?

Showroom Displays

In addition to the dry ice accessories for sale, we will be dressing up our showroom to get you in the spooky spirit.  Bring in your kids when you pick up your dry ice.  They will love the live demonstrations of different uses for dry ice.  Click here to go directly to our Halloween web page.

Irish Carbonic has two dry ice locations.  Our Buffalo office at 1444 Clinton is open M-F 8-5 and our Rochester location at 535 Buffalo Road is open M-F 8-4.