From a pure physics standpoint, there isn't a hell of a lot of diference between a noncrystalline solid and a liquid. One's moving faster. The gaseous state is of course where molecules have reached an escape velocity, overcoming the inter-molecular attraction. In the case of a noncrystalline solid (at room temp) it probably makes sense to include transition from the "liquid" state into gaseous as being describable by the word "sublimation". If not, the word is probably not very useful outside of HS and pre-med

Uh...this is getting tiring...as far as I'm concerned this part of the discussion looks like semantics. physics courses. -TD

From: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com> To: <cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net> Subject: Re: Liquid Natural Flatulence Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 14:38:03 -0500

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1

At 7:56 PM +0100 3/31/04, Jim Dixon wrote:

...

"Sublimation of an element or substance is a conversion between the solid and the gaseous states with no liquid intermediate stage."

Yes, I know the common definition.

But, like I said, I was told by someone who claimed to know better, and, thinking about it, I think he's right.

Since some people, like Peter, hypothesize that it's an extreme example of evaporation and not sublimation, :-), I'm going to go poke my nephew the chemistry student and see if I can get a pointer to an authoritative explanation.

How's that?

Cheers, RAH

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP 8.0.3

iQA/AwUBQGseAMPxH8jf3ohaEQJH5ACgmwJBUhFHzBjIbsj24nl1sQrftisAoLNO Uu4jEgpN9fff9IwL0GnMCM0H =oUN/ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

-- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

_________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee. Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963