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

There’s this super cool thing called sublimation where a solid will turn directly into a gas, skipping the liquid phase altogether. The ice cubes in your freezer slowly sublime away into gas.