Why do mentos cause soda to explode

What causes Coke to explode when Mentos are added to it?

Tilt the cup and slowly pour the soda down the inside of the cup to make as few bubbles as possible. Take the straw out of the soda and put a pipe cleaner in. Look from the side to see if bubbles also form on the pipe cleaner. Now take the pipe cleaner out and place a Mento in the soda. Watch the Mento from the side to see what happens.

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. The warm one will release bubbles of CO 2 much faster, because a warm gas is more energetic.

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Forgot password? New user? Sign up. Existing user? Log in. Already have an account? Log in here. The chemical reactions involved in dropping mentos candies into a bottle of diet coke make quite the spectacle! Soda geysters, which can reach as high as ten meters, were a popular subject for viral videos in the early 's, but the science behind the spectacle remained a mystery until

Why do mentos cause soda to explode

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.

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Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes. When the pressure is released, the carbon dioxide is forced out of solution and makes little gas bubbles. Archived from the original on July 27, The soda company puts carbon dioxide in the soda to make the soda fizzy. As the Mentos candy sinks in the bottle, the candy causes the production of more and more carbon dioxide bubbles, and the rising bubbles react with carbon dioxide that is still dissolved in the soda to cause more carbon dioxide to be freed and create even more bubbles, resulting in the eruption. The nucleation reaction can start with any heterogeneous surface, such as rock salt, but Mentos have been found to work better than most. One bottle of 2-liter fizzy drink, preferably Diet Coke, and Mentos are needed in an adequate quantity to give a spectacular reaction. Greenleaf Book Group Press. Because of this, the addition of Mentos candies to a carbonated beverage provides enormous numbers of pre-existing bubbles into which dissolved carbon dioxide can escape. If you shake the can first, you disrupt the solution and get a face full of soda. But the amount of gas that will dissolve into a liquid depends on the pressure that the gas and liquid are under.

This causes pressure to build in the bottle and send a spectacular jet of bubbles shooting into the air.

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. The carbon dioxide molecules collect on these places and form bubbles which rise to the surface. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. Anything that breaks them apart allows for bubbles of carbon dioxide gas to form in the solution. The solution becomes supersaturated with carbon dioxide when the bottle is opened, and the pressure is released. 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. Put on your eye protection and start the video camera. But all those gas bubbles want to escape, making it no wonder that soda makes you burp! At atmospheric pressure about 15 psi , only a small amount of CO 2 will dissolve into Coke. A mint-flavored mentos makes a geyser 5 meters high and a fruit-flavored mentos makes a geyser 2 meters high when the two candies are put into identical bottles of soda under identical experimental conditions. Watch the full video for a more detailed explanation. What causes Coke to explode when Mentos are added to it? The candies simply catalyze the release of gas from the Coke bottle. Mentos candies are not as smooth as they appear to the naked eye.