Why do mentos cause soda to explode

A soda geyser is a physical reaction between a carbonated beverage, usually Diet Cokeand 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.

Forgot password? New user? Sign up. Existing user? Log in. Already have an account? Log in here.

Why do mentos cause soda to explode

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! Instead it is a physical reaction. That means that all of the pieces of the reaction are there, but that they are simply rearranged. It also means changing some factors may cause a larger or smaller physical reaction to take place. Background A carbonated beverage is packed full of dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which forms bonds with water.

Archived from the original on December 19, Then step back without tipping the bottle over or disturbing the reaction.

What causes Coke to explode when Mentos are added to it? One would think that there must be a chemical reaction that causes the Coke and Mentos reaction to be so attractive and satisfying. The gas tries to escape and form bubbles around any irregular surface, called a nucleation site. Mentos also have nucleation sites because they are not as smooth as they appear. When added to Coke, the dissolved gas pushes the liquid out of the container at a super-fast speed in the form of bubbles.

Mentos and Coke — a combination that has fascinated us for years, leaving us mesmerized by the explosive reaction that ensues. But why does this happen? What is it about these seemingly harmless candies and soda that causes such a dramatic chemical reaction? At first glance, it may seem like magic, but there is actually a scientific explanation behind this explosive reaction. In this article, we will take a closer look at the chemistry behind the Mentos and Coke phenomenon and explore the factors that contribute to the explosive reaction that has captivated audiences around the world. Have you ever tried dropping Mentos candies into a bottle of Coke and watched as it exploded and sprayed soda everywhere? If you have, you may have wondered what causes this reaction. This article will explore the science behind why Mentos and Coke create such a messy and fizzy explosion. When Mentos candies are dropped into a bottle of Coke, a chemical reaction occurs between the carbon dioxide gas in the soda and the tiny pores on the surface of the Mentos. This reaction causes carbon dioxide bubbles to rapidly form and expand, creating a massive release of gas in the form of an explosion.

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! To create bubbles, the carbon dioxide needs to interact with itself, which means that its bonds with water in the Diet Coke must be broken. A Mentos candy can help with this. Although a Mentos candy may look smooth, if you looked at it under a microscope you would see tiny bumps coating the entire surface of the candy. This rough surface allows the bonds between the carbon dioxide gas and the water to more easily break, helping create carbon dioxide bubbles and cause the classic Mentos and Diet Coke eruption. As the Mentos candy sinks in the bottle, the candy causes the production of more and more carbon dioxide bubbles.

Enzyme pronunciation

They are covered in bumpy craters, which increases the total surface area. Because of this, nitrogen dissolves into their blood stream in much higher amounts than would happen at the ocean surface. It's the same chemistry, but a different magnitude. Tonya Coffey, a professor at Appalachian State University, used the experiment to give her undergraduate physics class a real-world research experience as one of their laboratory assignments. Therefore, the chemical reaction between Coke and Mentos, in reality, is a physical reaction. How much liquid is left in the bottle? The nucleation reaction can start with any heterogeneous surface, such as rock salt, but Mentos have been found to work better than most. Archived from the original on December 19, Coffey, T. There is an urban legend that eating mentos while drinking soda could cause a person's stomach to burst. The carbon dioxide molecules collect on these places and form bubbles which rise to the surface.

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.

Naperville Sun. Quickly pull out the flat index card, releasing the crushed Mentos into the bottle, then step back without tipping the bottle over or disturbing the reaction. Archived from the original on December 19, Gases are dissolved in magma at pressures many thousands of times atmospheric pressure. Pre-existing bubbles provide a way for the reaction to occur without requiring bubbles to form within the liquid itself homogeneous nucleation. Because of this, nitrogen dissolves into their blood stream in much higher amounts than would happen at the ocean surface. However, most of the carbonation is released from the soda as it is being drunk, so the pressure is lower and carbon dioxide is less likely to nucleate. Contents Chemistry and Physics Applications References. Sign up. Anything that breaks them apart allows for bubbles of carbon dioxide gas to form in the solution. 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 tubes of candies were threaded onto a pipe cleaner and dropped into the soft drink to create a geyser. However, experiments have shown that some dissolved solids that increase the surface tension of water such as sugars also increase fountain heights. Kuntzleman, and Dean J.