Why do mentos cause soda to explode

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By Science Buddies. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Key concepts Chemistry Physics Materials science Carbonation Physical reactions Explosions Introduction Have you ever seen the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment that is all over the Internet and wondered what makes the reaction work? You might think that there is some ingredient in a Mentos candy that causes a chemical reaction with the soda pop, like the way baking soda reacts with vinegar. But the amazing eruption that takes place when Mentos are dropped into Diet Coke or other brands of diet soda pop is not a chemical reaction at all!

Why do mentos cause soda to explode

Skip to content. Carbonated beverages have carbon dioxide CO 2 in them. If you shake a can of Coke vigorously before you open it, the effect is similar to dropping Mentos in: the Coke shoots out in a narrow stream. The CO 2 is dissolved in the Coke under pressure. Gases, including CO 2 , can dissolve into liquids much like sugar or salt can. But the amount of gas that will dissolve into a liquid depends on the pressure that the gas and liquid are under. At atmospheric pressure about 15 psi , only a small amount of CO 2 will dissolve into Coke. If you want more gas to dissolve, then you have to increase the pressure of the CO 2 until it is, say, two or three times atmospheric pressure. When you open the Coke container, the pressure is reduced to 15 psi , and the CO 2 immediately begins to leave the Coke. That release can happen at the surface of the liquid, or, the CO 2 can form bubbles that will rise to the top of the liquid and escape. To understand how energy is involved, open two cans of soda side by side; one that is cold from your refrigerator, and one that is warm.

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A soda geyser is a physical reaction between a carbonated beverage, usually Diet Coke , and Mentos mints that causes the beverage to be expelled from its container. The candies catalyze the release of gas from the beverage, which creates an eruption that pushes most of the liquid up and out of the bottle. The tubes of candies were threaded onto a pipe cleaner and dropped into the soft drink to create a geyser. At the end of the s, the manufacturer of Wintergreen Lifesavers increased the size of the mints, and they no longer fit in the mouth of soda bottles. Science teachers found that Mentos candies had the same effect when dropped into a bottle of any carbonated soft drink. The experiment became a subject of the television show MythBusters in The eruption is caused by a physical reaction , rather than any chemical reaction.

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Why do mentos cause soda to explode

A carbonated beverage is packed full of dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which forms chemical bonds with water. While the soda is in the bottle, the gas is kept in solution by the bottle's pressurized conditions. When you pour some soda into a glass, the gas stays trapped by the surface tension of the water. But those gas bubbles want to escape, making it no wonder that soda makes you burp!

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Now, make a Mentos-and-soda fountain! Additionally, the stomach has a couple ways of expelling excess gases. How much cola is left in the bottle? These ready-made bubbles which are nucleation sites exist in things such as tiny fibers or non-wettable crevices on the sides of the bottle. The exploding water in the garbage can demonstrates what happens when a gas, which is confined by pressure, is released suddenly: it expands very rapidly, blowing out everything in its way. First, make a tube for the Mentos. There is an urban legend that eating mentos while drinking soda could cause a person's stomach to burst. This pressure effect of gases and liquids also has a more dangerous aspect as well: when scuba divers go to great depths in the ocean, they are breathing air, or specialized gas mixtures, at four or more times atmospheric pressure. Many consider Diet Coke to be the optimal option. Mentos tablets contain thousands of these nucleation points and when dropped into Coke, they allow the bubbles to form almost instantaneously. In the Diet Coke bottle the Mentos candy provides a rough surface that allows the bonds between the carbon dioxide gas and water to break more easily, helping to create carbon dioxide bubbles. Liquid nitrogen should only be handled by experts. Do not try this at home!

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To understand how energy is involved, open two cans of soda side by side; one that is cold from your refrigerator, and one that is warm. The conversion of dissolved carbon dioxide to gaseous carbon dioxide forms rapidly expanding gas bubbles in the soda, which pushes the beverage contents out of the container. S2CID October 11, Quickly pull out the flat index card, releasing the Mentos candies into the bottle. Retrieved November 8, — via YouTube. Without immersing the stick, the crystals will grow eventually, but the stick speeds up the process by providing a surface for nucleation. Log in. Existing user? Put on your eye protection and start the video camera. PMID