After this, two interested scientists from the entertainment company EepyBird, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz decided to post a Youtube video demonstrating this experiment and it went viral, gaining 120 million views. My cohost for the KUSA-TV science segment was the lovely Kim Christiansen. Turns out that diet coke, which gets its sweetness from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, is more commonly used than its regular counterpart. A search on Google for Diet Coke and Mentos will return millions of hits, and YouTube has many home videos of this reaction. Coke has a pH of 2.3 and it made intuitive sense that an acid-base reaction could explain the sudden explosion of sugar. students used this simple device to monitor the kinetics of Regular Coke does not work with Mentos because the Diet Coke uses Aspartame instead of sugar, which regular Coke uses. Observe the eruptionheight, trajectory, duration, etc. This is because the warm air would have a greater volume and would exert more pressure, which would force the soda to a higher height. To get the best results in a science experiment, you will need to standardize the test conditions as much as possible. Each bottle will receive a different number of Mentos. Thats why its called a Baby Soda Bottle! How Does Diet Affect Your Body Temperature? The video was titled Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments. [10][23][24] Because there usually are very few such pre-existing bubbles, the degassing process is slow. Its time to put your favorite soda to the test in this fun experiment. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentos-diet-coke-explosions-explained/. Record the temperature. Diet Coke and Mentos As luck would have it, the solution to the problem was within arms reach of the Wintergreen LifeSavers in the candy aisle: Mentos chewy mint candies! This hypothesis was also proven false as Cover the opening of the test tube with an index card or similar slim, small paper. Observe each eruption, recording the details and compare the results. Make your Mentos drop easier and your geyser spray higher with the Geyser Tube! . Stack the Mentos candies (approx. We used the measured contact angle to calculate the minimum work required to form a critical bubble5 by the relation: where LV is the liquid-vapor surface tension, PP is the pressure difference across the interface, is the contact angle, and the function f() is given by. Because the level of carbonation in these products might be different from the Coke products, the seltzer and tonic water results should be considered independently from the Coca-Cola product trials. WebWhen Mentos candies are dropped into a bottle of Diet Coke, a foamy fountain jets out of the beverage container. What is the independent variable in the Mentos experiment? Now remove the index card and let candies fall in and step away from the Mentos and coke volcano. The Mentos candy gelatin and gum arabic create an energy that breaks the surface tension of the soda. Mentos Why do different sodas react differently to Mentos? Once the geyser stops, measure how much liquid is left inside. While I had performed variations of the Mentos Geyser Experiment on television many times from 2001 to 2004, my performance of the demo in the backyard of Denvers NBC affiliate KUSA-TV in September of 2005 proved to be the tipping point. Experiment with your sense of taste and your sense of smell with this simple experiment! The pH of the diet Coke prior to the reaction was 3.0, and the pH of the diet Coke after the mint Mentos reaction was also 3.0. They both ended up having 1 oz out of 8 oz ounces leave the beaker and into the air around too. The experiment became a subject of the television show MythBusters in 2006. The Fruit Mentos and the Mint Mentos reaction lost roughly the same amount of mass, but the Fruit Mentos reaction took place over a shorter time and therefore the spray traveled much farther than the Mint Mentos reactions. Mentos In conclusion the hypothesis that the diet coke will have the greatest explosion because of the high level of CO2 gas contained in it was correct. If we assume that LV is similar for Diet Coke and Caffeine Free Diet Coke, then the work required for bubble formation for Diet Coke is 90% of the work required for bubble formation for Caffeine Free Diet Coke. Now, its time to run away. What is the dependent variable in Coke and Mentos experiment? Invert the test tube, holding the cover in place. Part of the scientific method is making a prediction called a hypothesis. The beloved coke and mentos experiment is a perfect opportunity for young children interested in science to learn about the basics of acid and base reactions. Enough mass was deposited by the Hawaiian hot spot to form the islands, but the eruptions were comparatively gentle.) Mentos Instead of Mentos mints candy, however, they used a roll of Wintergreen LifeSavers and a pipe cleaner. But making soda explode is fun. From after-school activities and science classroom activities to STEM club experiments, our website is one of the most trusted resources for fun, age-appropriate experiments for kids of all ages. This will count as your control group. The Diet Coke and Mentos experiment results from the nucleation of carbon dioxide from liquid to gas. Sticking a finger into a glass of soda will result in the formation of tiny bubbles full of carbon dioxide that stick to the skin. The diet coke erupted like a volcano. These claims are also supported by data from the liquid gum arabic trials. (Gruber, 2019). Also, for the same amount of mass lost, the eruption will be more dramatic when the reaction takes place over a shorter time. We enable strictly necessary cookies to give you the best possible experience on Education.com. Conclusion: The conclusion is a brief summary of the main findings of the study and their implications. The bottom line was that we needed to find a way to standardize the drop of those Mentos mints. The scale bars in each image represent the lengths (a) 200m, (b) 100m, (c) 20m, and (d) 20m. 1 and 3 reveal jagged edges, pores, and seemingly rough surfaces (excellent growth sites for the carbon dioxide bubbles) for both table salt and sand grains. [10] When the pressure is released from a soda bottle upon opening it, dissolved carbon dioxide can escape into any tiny bubble located within the beverage. Due to the popularity of the Diet CokeMentos reaction as a demonstration of key principles in physics and chemistry, we have investigated the causes of the reaction. The bubbles then act as growth sites, where the carbon dioxide still dissolved in the solution moves into the rising bubbles, causing even more liberation of carbon dioxide from the bottle. [21][29], Additional explanations for why diet sodas outperform regular sodas in this experiment have been proposed. Carbonated beverages are full of dissolved carbon dioxide gas (CO2) which makes bonds with the water molecules. WebThe Diet Coke and Mentos geyser experiment became an internet sensation in September 2005. The places where the bubbles form are the nucleation sites. Warm soda tends to fizz much more than cold soda because of the solubility of gases in liquids. Before you get started, youll need to find a location suitable for the experiment. The longer reaction time is due to the many growth sites associated with the porous molecular sieve beads. This must been coined as the Pepsi Paradox. But there was one added bonus: the restricted hole at the top of the plastic tube helped to build up more pressure in the bottle and launched the soda up to 30 feet into the air! (4)P is the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid, K is a parameter, and c is the molar concentration of the gas. It truly is the perfect chemistry kit for kids who want to explore. Contact angles of various solutions on polycarbonate and the ratio of the minimum work required to form a critical bubble in the sample over the minimum work required to form a critical bubble in deionized H2O. Alternatively, dispense the soda into a vase or pitcher. The quantitative roughness information detailed in Table V was taken from this image. This hypothesis was also proven false as the pH of the substance did not change after the reaction (Muir, 2008). Sample contact angle images for (a) deionized water, (b) deionized water with added aspartame, and (c) deionized water with added potassium benzoate. These growth sites are not all on the surface of the bead, and hence the Diet Coke has to soak into the bead through the pores. The solution becomes supersaturated with carbon dioxide when the bottle is opened, and the pressure is released. On a 100m2 scale, the Wint-o-Green Lifesavers have a rms roughness that is more than a factor of 10 larger than the rms roughness of the rock salt. The scientific method is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions. Today Room 1 and 5 did a science experiment together. The sugar reduces the contact angle more than pure water and causes more mass to be lost from the seltzer during the reaction, but more mass is lost by the beverages with potassium benzoate and aspartame. St. Helens and Mt. Mentos Geyser Experiment - Mentos & Coke Experiment - The Lab Based on these SEM images and our inability to image the samples in the AFM due to the limits on our z range, we assume that these samples have a roughness greater than those reported in Table V. Although these samples are rough, the fall times through the bottle, the duration of the reaction, and the lack of a surfactant contributed to a less impressive eruption for these samples. Thats my final answer.. We found that the max amount of mentos with the largest explosion was 4 mentos, it went 350 cm high. What is the conclusion of the Coke and Mentos experiment? As long as there is a high surface area to volume ratio, that area can be classified as a nucleation site (Grobe & Voltz, n.d.). [25] These results suggest that additives serve to enhance geyser heights not by decreasing surface tension, but rather by decreasing bubble coalescence. normal, unaltered Mento. Many consider Diet Coke to be the optimal option, and it's been studied and confirmed as having the strongest effect. When the gum arabic was injected at the bottom of the bottle, 100g of mass was lost. We put 4 mentos pieces into the bottle of diet coke. Primarily, the sugar, aspartame and potassium benzoate included in the candy shell reduce the work it takes to form bubbles in the soda, causing a rapid creation of carbon dioxide bubbles. [Full Guide] - Cool Diet Coke Did a child really die from combining Mentos and Coca-Cola? It has also been shown that a wide variety of beverage additives such as sugars, citric acid, and natural flavors can also enhance fountain heights. Since diet sodas lack the sugar that regular ones do, it has lower viscosity and surface tension. Figure 1(c) is a magnified view of the edges of a salt grain, and Fig. What did you observe when you put Mentos candy into the soda bottle? [30] However, any carbonated beverage will work. Buddies, S. (2012, June 14). Pull the index card away swiftly, dropping the candies into the soda. The parameter K changes with temperature, generally increasing as the temperature increases. The average distance traveled by the sodas spray during the explosion is given in Table II. In Table IV we assumed that LV was reduced by 5% for the second system compared to the deionized water (system 1). Copyright 2023 Education.com, Inc, a division of IXL Learning All Rights Reserved. The rms roughness of a 100m2 image acquired in the AFM. All of the samples were at room temperature unless otherwise indicated. We showed the importance of sample roughness by comparing SEM and AFM images of the samples to the explosive power of the reaction. The Diet Coke and Mentos experiment results from an increased rate of nucleation. The Diet Coke and Mentos experiment results from the nucleation of carbon dioxide from liquid to gas. Sticking a finger into a glass of soda will result in the formation of tiny bubbles full of carbon dioxide that stick to the skin. This science demonstration was popular among chemistry teachers back in the 1980s. No matter which brand of soda you tested, the warm bottle probably produced the highest shooting geyser. . A large fountain of coke then comes rushing out, oftentimes multiple metres in the air, causing a sticky mess all over the place. When you pull your finger out of the way, all seven Mentos should fall into the bottle at the same time. Make sure your scale is in place, whether youre measuring by counting bricks or using an alternative method. But it has nothing to do with the mint Mentos actual flavor. My son chose this experiment for his 6th grade science fair project. http://www.eepybird.com/featured-video/coke-and-mentos-featured-video/science-of-coke-mentos/. If youre not using the Geyser Tube, make sure to come up with your own method for dropping the Mentos into the soda exactly the same way each and every time. Part of his assignment Is to ask a professional about his experiment. Mentos The seltzer and tonic water were not Coca-Cola products, and it was not possible to find seltzer and tonic water with the same expiration date as the Coke products. Mentos and Diet Coke experiment works with any soda These bubbles rapidly expand and are What Will I Need For The Mentos And Coke Volcano? [20] In some cases, dissolved solids that increase the surface tension of water (such as sugars) also increase fountain heights. ", "MythBusters: Diet Coke and Mentos MiniMyth", "Toying with the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment", "How Many Bubbles Are in the Foam Produced during the Candy-Cola Soda Geyser? It proved challenging to get away from that bottle before it exploded. However, is one better for use during an experiment? The participant got it right for $8,000, saying: I saw it on TV, and I bought Mentos and a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke. The Diet Cokeliquid gum arabic and Diet CokeDawn/water mixture trials demonstrate that even without any surface roughness, the introduction of a surfactant into the soda causes a reaction. Hall, Magdalena Jaramillo, Cully Little, and Zach Russell, and my graduate research assistant, Jon Jones. The lower magnification images show large surface areas and small volumes, especially when compared to samples such as a Mentos, which is 12cm in diameter. At the time, my solution was to load the Mentos candies into something called a Baby Soda Bottle a test tube-like container that held an entire roll of Mentos perfectly. Decide who will do what, so you will be ready when its your turn. Never use a stove or a microwave to heat a bottle of soda. This conclusion is also supported by the ingredients in the Mentos, none of which are basic: sugar, glucose syrup, hydrogenated coconut oil, gelatin, dextrin, natural flavor, corn starch, and gum arabic. mentos We used a video camera to measure the time it took for Mentos, rock salt, Wint-o-Green Lifesavers, and playground sand to fall through water from the top of the water line to the bottom of a clear 2l bottle. 5 and 6. [7][8] Experiments carried out at altitudes ranging from below sea level in Death Valley to the summit of Pikes Peak have demonstrated that the reaction works better at higher elevations. CYSF The hands-on experiment involves dropping several Mentos Chewy Mints into a bottle of Diet Coke, which can cause a stream of the diet cola to shoot many feet Only one trial was performed for each temperature. Mixing Coke and Mentos looks like a chemical change, but since the gas released is carbon dioxide AND it was present before the foaming happened, it is actually a physical change. If the growth of carbon dioxide bubbles on the sample takes place at the bottom of the bottle, then the bubbles formed will detach from the sample and rise up the bottle. The answer is a little more complicated than you might think. It truly is the perfect chemistry kit for kids who want to explore. Science teachers started experimenting (as they like to do) with other candies and mints that would have the same effect when dropped into a bottle of soda. Amazing Facts About Diet Coke And Mentos Experiment. Coke possesses been which preferred mark through all other coke, spite one preference for Pepsi in blind taste tests. WebKids TV Yenu and Sanu is home to gaining knowledge & entertain toddlers. They both ended up having 1 oz out of 8 oz ounces leave the beaker and into the air around too. It is very high for bubbles that form in the liquid itself (homogeneous nucleation), and much lower if bubble growth occurs within tiny bubbles trapped in some other surface (heterogeneous nucleation). Tonya Shea Coffey; Diet Coke and Mentos: What is really behind this physical reaction?. The reaction happens fast, so dont have your face over the bottle. Teachers threaded the roll of Wintergreen LifeSavers onto a pipe cleaner as an easy way to drop all of the LifeSavers into the soda at the same time. Mentos and Coke Experiment How to Do It! Mentos Experiment All of our results seem to contradict the aforementioned Mythbusters experiment. 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. To the naked eye, Fruit Mentos are shinier than Mint Mentos, and therefore should be smoother. It is difficult to find beverages containing aspartame that do not contain a preservative such as potassium benzoate. We can, however, qualitatively discuss the sample roughness by examining the SEM images of table salt and sand grains in Figs. Its also important that all of the test bottles are stored in the same place so that the liquid in each bottle is the same temperature. So when a bottle of soda is opened, the partial pressure drops, and the molar concentration of the gas must also drop, which is why sodas go flat over time after they are opened. Steve Spanglers Geyser Tube toy (optional . Conclusion: The Diet Coke reacted to the Mentos, which means the hypothesis was correct. Your kid may be surprised to learn that the density of coke and diet coke aren't the same! A 10% difference is comparable to the uncertainty in our experiments, and hence it is difficult to observe significant differences in the results for Diet Coke compared to Caffeine Free Diet Coke. Mentos Some of the samples, such as the table salt, molecular sieve beads, and the sand grains, were too rough to image in our AFM, which has a 24mz range. The uncertainty is approximately 10%. The Diet Coke and Mentos reaction is a popular experiment or demonstration in part because it inspires students to wonder, and inquiry-driven labs and active-learning 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.[1][2]. The Mythbusters correctly identified potassium benzoate and aspartame as key ingredients in the Diet CokeMentos reaction. The Diet CokeWint-o-Green reaction loses more mass and the spray travels farther than the Diet Cokerock salt reaction. What is it with this experiment with soda and Mentos that causes this explosion to shoot so far into the air? This was demonstrated in an experiment that tested 15 types of carbonated beverages with Mentos. What is the fastest way to level up pickpocketing in Skyrim? The question in the Its true that putting Mentos into a bottle of Coke will cause an impressive geyser of soda to erupt from the bottle. This is an urban myth. This experiment can be visually displayed with photos or videos of the event and a graph of the tables results. Because Type IV nucleation sites (such as found on Mentos) allow the reaction to proceed with substantially lower activation energy, Mentos candies can appropriately be considered a catalyst of the process. Coke And Mentos Experiment Free Essay Example - PaperAp.com The Amazing Scientist Chemistry Kit is designed to get your young scientist interested in chemistry. Try dropping an object, like a raisin or a piece of uncooked pasta, into a glass of soda. It really only takes a few minutes to setup the mentos and coke volcano experiment.
Peter Simon Presenter Partner,
Fredericksburg Bed And Breakfast Winery,
Nanea Golf Club Membership Cost,
Articles C