Why and how does ice get smaller in an ice tray if unused for a long time? Doesn’t the freezing temp prevent evaporation?

Question

Edit for follow up question: if a freezer is sealed (or a fridge, or any other container sublimination or even evaporation takes place), how does this gas not build up and cause expanding or even a more violent reaction of said container? Where does it go?

In: 1

Answer 1

Being frozen will tend to slow evaporation, but it doesn’t stop it. How fast evaporation occurs will depend on the humidity inside the freezer, if the ice is covered at all, and if it’s where a freezer fan blows air across it.