# E-Z Chem question. Quick answer please! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-z-chem-question-quick-answer-please/58623 "2001-03-19T21:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-z-chem-question-quick-answer-please/58623/1 "2001-03-19T21:40:15Z")
I should know this, but I forget. What is the term used when something goes directly from a solid state to a gas? Something like ice “steaming” on the side of a road. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-z-chem-question-quick-answer-please/58623/2 "2001-03-19T21:47:26Z")
sublimation ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-z-chem-question-quick-answer-please/58623/3 "2001-03-19T22:04:21Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-z-chem-question-quick-answer-please/58623/4 "2001-03-20T07:35:09Z")
And here I was all ready to respond with an answer about the E-Z method of identifying configuration when _cis-trans_ isn’t enough. I think I’ve been doing too much organic chemistry lately - I had to sit for a minute and figure out that E-Z in the thread title was short for “easy”. :rolleyes: