Freeze-dried coffee is prepared by freezing a sample of brewed coffee and then removing the ice component by vacuum-pumping the sample. Describe the phase changes taking place during these processes.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The process of freeze-drying involves two phase transitions. Initially, the liquid coffee freezes into solid ice. Then, vacuum pumping causes the ice to undergo sublimation, directly transitioning from solid to gas, leaving the coffee behind in a solid, dried state.

Step by step solution

01

Identify Initial State

Initially, the coffee is in a liquid state. This is the initial state before any phase changes occur.
02

Freezing the Coffee

When the coffee is frozen, it undergoes a phase transition from liquid to solid. This is known as freezing. The water in the coffee forms solid ice crystals.
03

Removing Ice by Vacuum Pumping

The process of vacuum-pumping to remove the ice brings about a process called sublimation. In sublimation, substances transition directly from a solid state to a gas state, bypassing the liquid state. Here, the solid ice turns directly into water vapor.
04

Final State

After the ice has been sublimated, the coffee is left behind in a dried state. Thus, from the initial liquid state, the coffee undergoes phase transitions to finally reach a solid dried state.

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