Is Vaporizer really the right term?

Jonas · 09-10-2009, 03:41 PM

Vaporization by definition is the process of a liquid changing states into a gas.
Sublimation by definition is the process of a solid changing states into a gas without changing first into a liquid.

Marijuana is a solid. It is placed in a 'vaporizer' and the thc turns into a gas/vapour and we inhale it. Does the thc ever turn into a liquid before turning into a gas? To my knowledge it does not.

So really, shouldn't 'Vaporizers' be called 'Sublimaters'?

Sublimaters sounds alot better to me...

OldMan&TheWeed · 09-10-2009, 05:01 PM

You could also call it a toaster, since that's what it does, it toasts your weed.

But seriously, it's called a vaporizer because it works by heating the cannabis, ". . .in a partial vacuum so that the active compounds contained in the plant boil off into a vapor."

Vaporizer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There's some REALLY good information in the above article.

OldMan&TheWeed · 09-10-2009, 05:03 PM

Here's a another good quote from the article:

Because most commercial vaporizers are slow in extraction and delivery, the vapor inhaled is first aromatic, but only minimally active; and then as the plant material temperature rises, the vapor becomes increasingly bio-active, but minimally aromatic, because most of the aromatics have already been released.

Rubix · 09-10-2009, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by OldMan&TheWeed

and then as the plant material temperature rises, the vapor becomes increasingly bio-active, but minimally aromatic, because most of the aromatics have already been released.[/I]

that last not so pleasant

vape hit still gives that extra kick, tho.

al-Mu'akhkhir · 09-10-2009, 11:55 PM

actually vaporizer is technically the correct term as it produces a vapour.. hence the name.

Jonas · 09-11-2009, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by al-Mu'akhkhir

actually vaporizer is technically the correct term as it produces a vapour.. hence the name.

sublimation also produces vapour. is the weed you put in a vape liquid? no it is not. it is solid. if you put hash oil or some other liquid form of thc then yes vaporizer would be the proper technical term. but solids turning into vapours is scientifically named sublimation.

whatever though. it was just some random thought i was having with a friend during class yesterday and thought i would share it.....

Bad dog · 09-11-2009, 10:58 AM

the question can be asked this way. If you were exposed to a giant blast of heat from a giant vaporiser gun, would you be either
A: subliminated or
B: vaporized

B sounds far cooler

whether right or wrong its pretty much all semantics.

Mafoo · 09-11-2009, 11:06 AM

its a vape. watch the resin glands when you burn a bowl, the resin actually bubles and goes liquidy before the plant material burns. i would imagine the same state change occurs when you expose the material to less intense heat.

sublimation, i believe, occurs when a chemical is not naturally solid at the ambient temperature. like when dry ice goes from solid straight to gas, its because CO2 exists as a gas at STP and the gas has been compressed and kept very cold to stay in that state.

thought provoking, thanks

edit: upon further thought, resin is actually a sticky liquid; kind of like how glass is actually a super cooled liquid.