If ice were to be placed in a container at a temperature of -2 oC, with a water vapor pressure of 2 torr, you would see a decrease in the volume of solid ice over time.
And your question is?
would you see a decrease in volume
The decrease in the volume of solid ice over time when placed in a container with a water vapor pressure of 2 torr at -2 oC is due to the process of sublimation. Sublimation is the transition of a substance from its solid phase directly to its gas phase without going through the liquid phase.
To explain why this occurs, we need to understand the concept of vapor pressure. Vapor pressure is the pressure exerted by the molecules of a substance in the gas phase above its liquid or solid phase at a specific temperature. The vapor pressure of water increases with temperature, meaning that at higher temperatures, more water molecules will transition into the gas phase and exert a higher pressure.
In this case, the water vapor pressure of 2 torr means that there are water molecules in the gas phase surrounding the solid ice. Since the temperature is -2 oC, which is below the melting point of ice (0 oC), the ice remains in its solid phase. However, some of the water molecules in the gas phase may come into contact with the ice surface and sublimate, transitioning from a gas to a solid directly.
The sublimation process leads to the gradual decrease in the volume of solid ice over time. As the water molecules in the gas phase continuously come into contact with the ice surface, they freeze onto the ice, resulting in the formation of additional ice layers. This causes the volume of the solid ice to decrease over time, as the ice is accumulating more mass through the sublimation process.
In summary, when ice is placed in a container with a water vapor pressure of 2 torr at -2 oC, you would see a decrease in the volume of solid ice over time due to the sublimation process, where water molecules in the gas phase freeze onto the ice surface and transition directly to the solid phase.