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Why do mothballs evaporate?
Mothballs are made out of a chemical called naphthalene. This chemical dissolves at room temperature overtime and turns into a gas that enters the air. Mothballs tend to evaporate faster in more humid and hotter temperatures and less in the cold.
How long does it take for mothballs to disappear?
One mothball in open air takes 3-6 months to dissipate entirely. If you place the mothball underneath clothing or otherwise not in open air, it will take up to 12 months to completely dissipate. The mothball smell stays in your home for months or years after dissipating.
Why mothballs become smaller after a week?
The process in which a solid changes directly to a gas is called sublimation. A: Mothballs are made of naphthalene, a substance that undergoes sublimation at room temperature. The solid mothballs slowly changed to a gas during the summer months, explaining why they were much smaller by autumn.
Why do mothballs sublime?
The process by which atoms or molecules go directly from the solid state to the gaseous state is called sublimation. Moth balls sublime; they disappear after protecting woolens during a hot summer. As a solid is heated, its change in temperature depends on its specific heat.
What happens when mothballs disappear?
Mothballs slowly disappear as they turn into gas and mix with the surrounding air. Mothball fumes can stick to fabrics or clothing following storage, requiring items to be aired out and washed to remove the odor.
What happens when moth balls get wet?
Wet mothballs are even more potent than dry ones. And the wetness can be profound, like exposure to water from a flood or leaky pipe, or mild, in the form of high humidity. Either will cause the odor to be more potent and sublimation to be more rapid.
What happens when you put mothballs in water?
Naphthalene evaporates easily. That is why you can smell mothballs. Some naphthalene will dissolve in water in rivers, lakes, or wells. Naphthalene in water is destroyed by bacteria or evaporates into the air.