Sublimaci

Sublimaci, often rendered as sublimation in English, is a phase transition in which a substance changes from a solid to a gaseous state without passing through a liquid phase. This occurs when the solid’s vapor pressure exceeds the surrounding pressure at a given temperature, and it is more likely at low pressures or at temperatures near the solid’s melting point.

In physical contexts, sublimation is observed in substances like dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), which sublimes at room temperature, as well as solid iodine and naphthalene. It also explains the loss of snow and ice in high-altitude or arid environments, where direct solid-to-gas conversion contributes to sublimation. In industrial and laboratory settings, sublimation is used for purification of volatile compounds and for vacuum deposition to form thin films.

The reverse process of sublimation is deposition, where a gas becomes a solid without becoming liquid. Freeze-drying, or lyophilization, applies sublimation to remove water from frozen samples under vacuum, preserving structure and composition better than some liquid-based drying methods.

Beyond the physical process, sublimation is also a term in psychology. It describes a defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses are redirected into socially acceptable or productive activities, such as art, science, or charitable work.

Etymology and usage vary by language, with cognates such as sublimace or sublimacja used in several European languages. The concept spans disciplines from materials science and geology to psychology and food technology.