This was a total disaster! But it shouldnt be a regular trick in your party repertoire. A lack of sugar makes the soda mixture less viscous, given the presence of sweeteners, like aspartame, lowering the surface tension even more than usual. However, any type of carbonated soda can be a replacement for Coca-Cola; the key is carbonation more than anything else. I tried the experiments myself in this video and I also tried to make myself blow upI may have failed.Furious Apparel http://www.furiouspete.comMy Camera Gear: http://bit.ly/WhatIShootWithSubscribe to Daily Vlogs! I might be expecting too much. So, if you open a bottle of soda gently, you get a pleasant beverage. Mentos are dense candies, which aids the sinking process a factor the study explored by comparing reactions made with whole Mentos versus crushed ones, the latter of which resulted in weaker eruptions. The only way you could reliably injure yourself from this stunt is if you did it over and over again. A Mentos dropped into a bottle of soda acts as a surfactant, meaning it reduces the surface tension of the soda. Abstract and Figures. What is the science behind the mentos and coke experiment? Next, secure a bottle of diet cola to the ground and remove the lid. Beast Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7vRMlZYx4R00Dj3Q4NjRA twitter https://twitter.com/Bunnyzilla206 instagram https://www.instagram.com/chafeel_harris/Subscribe to the L.A. Swallow and drink water, enjoy. Though the manuscript is behind a paywall, a presentation that Dr. Coffey made about the experience is available on the schools website. Doesn't work. However, the failure of this explosive combination of candy and soda to cause any fatalities should not be taken as a ringing endorsement of chasing down a handful of Mentos with as much pop as can be gulped. This effect can be maximized to a certain extent by adding a few Mentos candies to a given soda bottle, although there is a breaking point where adding more candies doesnt make the geyser any more impressive. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Why is Diet Coke a better choice for this experiment than other sodas? Additionally, we do not recommend using any chemical without reading theMaterial Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which can be obtained from the manufacturer. Because carbon dioxide changes from a liquid state to a gaseous state in the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment but does not change chemical makeup, it is a physical reaction. This keeps the bubble growth going. Answer (1 of 43): I use to consume these both simultaneously. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. If enough candies are thrown into a bottle of Coke, the geyser is created since all the bubbles simple pile atop one another on their journey out of the confined space of the bottle. This spectacle is mainly caused by a physical reaction that rapidly releases the dissolved carbon dioxide from the beverage. First you need a 2 liter of diet coke and 2-3 packs of mentos. A video that has been around since 2006 and has been seen at least 20 million times purports to show the death of a girl nicknamed Pepsi Girl (not to be confused with the curly-haired little girl on old Pepsi commercials) meet her death after downing a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi cola when she explodes as if a bomb has been placed inside her. According to legend, said child went out with a bang. New user? The result is a massive eruption of foam, shooting stories high into the air. All rights reserved. This site SodaPopCraft.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking toAmazon.com. Thats why you feel bloated and your burp. You could use a dry mixture of two powders which generate carbon dioxide when they dissolve in water. Whats up people. This rate is increased because the texture and density of mentos allow bubbles to form quickly, which in turn forms more bubbles. Here's an experiment to try at home regarding surface tension. Your stomach will not explode. It certainly wont be comfortable and Mentos, but there arent any real health risks from doing so. That year, the grist being run through the rumor mill included the sad tale of. Its not only the surfaces of the Mentos that react with Coca-Cola. The mint ones have small dents in them, which allows the coke to react immediately. Maybe your stomach would explode! You press it onto a heap of half-capsules of one side, press an identical one onto a heap of the other half of capsules, cover one layer in powder and place the other one precisely on top of it, capsules down. Surely, then, you dont want to eat Mentos while drinking Coca-Cola, lest this reaction occurs in your stomach. NEW CHALLENGE and it turned put great. The answer to this involves a property called surface tension. Did the Mentos stick to the rim of the bottle and not fall into the solution? Concerning getting powder into capsules, you can get or make something for this. But what causes this reaction? Additionally, the stomach has a couple ways of expelling excess gases. Sign up, Existing user? That way you can do maybe a hundred at once. She is a current PhD student in biology at Wake Forest University, and has been teaching undergraduate students biology for the last three years. Once again there hadn't been such a child, but that did little to slow the rumor's spread. I did this all in less than a minute. A classic experiment in chemistry is combining a small candy called Mentos with Diet Coke. Coke and Mentos Reaction Lab Ingredients in the Mentos and Diet Coke and, more importantly, the structure of the Mentos, allow carbon dioxide bubbles to form extremely rapidly. I vaguely remember that episode. He simply vomited up frothy Coca-Cola a number of times, but only for a few seconds each time. The long-term health risks of drinking Coke and eating Mentos are largely nonexistent. Acids also . It is not the ingredients but the surface area of Mentos that result in the Diet Coke eruption. Take the geyser tube and put all the mentos in it from the packet. Effects of diet coke and mentos on the body. 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. Crushed Mentos that fell more slowly created puny fountains that only travelled about 30 centimetres. ", As it sinks, the Mentos produces more bubbles, which react with carbon dioxide in the soda, rewarding you with a Diet Coke geyser. You want to be careful about that. The blog, its authors, and affiliates cannot be held responsible for any accident, injury or damage caused in part or directly from using the information provided. In an . Using tartaric acid might work better. Hold Bottle by top with one hand place around the neck so that the bottle is upside down. Once you drop the Mentos into the coke, stand back as it's VERY explosive. You'll suddenly experience an upsurge of soda foam and will likely burp or vomit up large amounts of the stuff in seconds. Apparently, we were dead wrong, as the paper points out: 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. so i find now that swallowing the mentos, like you would swallow a paracetamol, to work quite well. Its relatively easy to do because the materials are readily available: with nothing but a few Mentos and a bottle of Coke, you can trigger an immediate, explosive reaction, making this a very simple yet very fun (if slightly messy) experiment. Mentos are denser than Diet Coke. As the cup fills, a bubble of water will start to grow above the rim of the glass. Is it some sort of chemical reaction between Mentos and Diet Coke that is producing the explosion? Their surfactant properties then lower the surface tension of the Coke, which breaks apart the water molecules and, in doing so, allows carbon dioxide bubbles to form more readily. The nucleation reaction causes the rapid release of the carbon dioxide from the water, resulting in carbon dioxide gas which rapidly expands in the soda, pushing the liquid out of the bottle. Ok, so I was curious about this as well. However InflatableSteve's Video that was grand lolz. Learn about the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment and discover the science behind why Mentos react to soda. Mentos reacts strongly to all carbonated drinks owing to some of its molecular properties. Today, we won't be creating boiling hot pockets of water inside the Earth, but we will create a pretty cool geyser of our own. Since the Mentos are at the bottom, they can interact with more carbon dioxide compared with a candy that floats at the top. In fact, he continued drinking the Coke and swallowing Mentos until, as far as I can tell, the whole pack was gone. The narrow neck of the bottle also intensifies the pressure and speed because it forces the flow rate to increase. The two biggest factors affecting the geyser are the roughness of the candy used and the rate at which it sinks to the bottom of the soda bottle. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Science Behind Mentos and Diet Coke Experiment, How to Turn Milk into Plastic - Science Experiment, FTCE Middle Grades General Science 5-9 (004) Prep, ILTS Science - Physics (116): Test Practice and Study Guide, Glencoe Chemistry - Matter And Change: Online Textbook Help, Middle School Life Science: Homework Help Resource, Explaining & Analyzing Physical Structures in Biology: Practice Problems, Medicinal Chemistry: Definition & Research, Absorption Spectroscopy: Definition & Types, Lanthanide Contraction: Definition & Consequences, What is Aerogel? The reaction between Diet Coke and mentos is caused by nucleation. This is likely for two reasons. The nucleation process is also faster, leading to higher gas pressure. 124 lessons. It turns out Mentos were the best seeders for the reaction. (2008). Water should have the highest surface tension, followed by Coke and finally Diet Coke. Likewise, with regard to "One year before the same accident happened with another boy in Brazil," once again the news is silent regarding such a death. Adding Mentos candy to Diet Coke expedites the CO2 gas bubble escape process and triggers an explosion because its "rough surface allows the bonds between the carbon dioxide gas and the water to more easily break," creating more carbon dioxide bubbles. It is the classic Diet Coke and Mentos "geyser" experiment, but with the added rigor of using the scientific method to answer the question "Which will cause a larger reaction: the sugar in regular Coke or the aspartame in Diet Coke?" But the rough coating of the candy begins to dissolve the moment you eat it. The "child who died from combining Mentos and Coca-Cola" story is an updating of an older legend that began in 1979. Please contact for permissions. For instance, if citric acid is added to a soda mixture, the fountain height will actually increase to up to six times its normal height. I could feel my belly expanding to the point of discomfort. For instance, in photosynthesis, water and carbon dioxide are transformed into sugar. Was Coca-Cola the First Soda to Use Santa In Advertisements? What Chemical In Mentos Makes Coca-Cola Explode? Procedure: -. Most Coca-Cola is kept carbonated by a sealed bottle, which creates a pressurized environment where the carbonated gas cant escape until the cap has been broken off or opened. The YouTube video discussed above is not exactly scientific, however. The sudden swell of carbon dioxide inside your stomach will need an escape. Coca-Cola is a carbonated beverage that is full of dissolved carbon dioxide. Additionally, the stomach has a couple ways of expelling excess gases. As the bubbles get bigger, they detach from the Mentos and race to the top of the soda. Key Takeaways: Mentos and Coke Trick. If you haven't heard about the Diet Coke and Mentos Experiment then you have probably been living under a rock. The place i normally order it from has been most unreliable lately, hence the halt in the "research". A harmless procedure it's clearly not one look at online video clips of the force of "Mentos effect" eruptions shooting out of pop bottles should convince even the most adventurous not to risk any part of their digestive systems on such parlor tricks. When mint or fruit Mentos are dropped into a fresh bottle of Diet Coke, a jet of Coke whooshes out of the bottle's mouth and can reach a height of 10 metres. Try to keep as much of the co2 in the coke ie not shaking it. A Big ass explosion happenspretty damn cool. This is because the stomach reacted by trying to let go of the offending contents, but the esophagus is not an efficient method of expelling the bubbly Coca-Cola. "This was a good project for my students to study because there was still some mystery to it.". Mentos has thousands of tiny bumps over its surface even though the candy might look smooth to the naked eye. This forces the liquid to overflow and shoot out. The question is whether this reaction would occur in your stomach. Do not try such experiments yourself though. Bottled sodas are kept under pressure so that more carbon dioxide can be forced into solution. If drops are continually added, this bubble will grow and continually burst, spilling water down the sides of the glass. 1. Line up the soda bottles next to each other, so that you have one bottle of Diet Coke and one bottle of some other diet soda (or whatever other soda you want to test) next to each other. This reaction is even more violent with Diet Coke, which is more carbonated. When you open the bottle, you equalize the pressure and the bubbles come out of the solution and float to the top of the bottle. Last night's episode of Two and a Half Men just proves that one of the show's writers is a science geek with a sense of humor. This way, you can see which one erupts higher. Drill a small hole through the lid of the bottle using a hand drill or a nail. Mentos that drift peacefully through the soda will have a weaker reaction in comparison. A&W 1/3 Pound Burger Failure Fact Check: Are Americans Really That Bad at Fractions? Copyright 2023 @ Sodoapopcraft.com Watson-Publishing Limited Co. Telephone: +441414590217 Email: [emailprotected]. Imagine a huge geyser erupting at Yellowstone National Park. According to the Diet Coke and Mentos Eruption article, pop is supersaturated with gas. All the carbon dioxide in the soda - all that fizz - is squeezed into the liquid and looking for a way out. Ok, so i was wonderin about coke and mentos inflation. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Their explanation is this process called nucleation. When combining Diet Coke and Mentos, one would get a physical reaction. a popular reaction:. But i think nucleation sites are the way to go, not an actual chemical reaction. Pouring soda into a muddy hole in the ground does the same, so the Mentos are totally unnecessary. The formation of carbon dioxide bubbles is like a chain reaction that exponentially accumulates, causing pressure to build in a fraction of a second. Likewise, stories of children dying from a soda and Mentos compination appear to be nothing more than an update of the urban legend concerning Mikey, the childhood star of a series of Life cereal commercials who was a notoriously picky eater. Just getting the Mentos into your stomach will likely disrupt some of the surface. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. Diet Coke is the best soda to use for this experiment because it has aspartame, which lowers its surface tension or ability to hold itself together. All Rights Reserved. What properties of each ingredient create the Coke and Mentos reaction? Why does the reaction happen? You might think that there is some ingredient in a Mentos candy causing a chemical reaction with the soda, like the way baking soda reacts with vinegar. The Diet Coke and Mentos experiment results from the nucleation of carbon dioxide from liquid to gas. If you down a large amount of soda, the carbon dioxide is released. So why do Mentos make so many bubbles? Videos of those who have attempted such foolishness consistently show the subjects experiencing great physical distress in the aftermath of their ill-judged stunts. I'm probably being pessimistic about it. It is so because I love to enjoy the icy minty burp that comes out of my mouth after such consumption. Put the open end of your tube of Mentos on the card and place it directly over the opening of the soda bottle. As Steve Spangler, former high school science teacher turned hands-on science guru, explained: "The Mentos effect has nothing to do with the inside of the Mentos and everything to. The other thing that happened was that the gas came straight back up and made me belch huge clouds of powder. If you have health and safety related questions, visitHSE.gov.uk. The combination of any carbonated liquid and mint-flavored Mentos will rapidly produce copious amounts of foam because the candy works to disrupt the surface tension of the liquid, thereby releasing all the drink's fizz (carbon dioxide) in one surprisingly speedy whoosh. Thus, the texture of Mentos alone increases the rate of nucleation. The rest of the Mythbusters team explores the possibility of a standard postage stamp ca. 1. Low surface tension also helps bubbles grow quickly. He kept drinking the Coke over time, and gas continued to be released in a more steady manner than would occur if Mentos were dropped into a bottle. The gruesome appeal of the combusted tot story kept the legend in circulation long after it had been repeatedly debunked and dismissed. By By Daven Hiskey If you've ever wondered why Diet Coke and Mentos react so strongly to one another, well, wonder no more. As a result, they are important biologically, industrially, and environmentally. Place the soda bottle outside in and area that can get dirty. You can use more than one Mentos to get a really big explosion. The Hypothesis The scientific method is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions. You can see the results of this yourself by crushing a Mentos and dropping it into a bottle, then comparing the reaction to the whole candy with all its pores intact. What is the science behind Mentos and Coke eruptions? -do I chew the mentos? I've had a couple of thoughts about the swallowing problem. Step Three: Drop a Mentos into the Bottle The next step is to drop the Mentos into the Coke. Pressure so that more carbon dioxide inside your mentos and coke reaction in human body bubbles get bigger, they can with... Massive eruption of foam, shooting stories high into the liquid to gas beverage that is the. The same, so i was curious about this as well distress in Coke! Way scientists make observations and come to conclusions are kept under pressure so more. Was that the bottle also intensifies the pressure and speed because it forces the liquid looking. To enjoy the icy minty burp that comes out of my mouth after such.. A dry mixture of two powders which generate carbon dioxide is even more violent Diet. Logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates you dont want to eat while... The YouTube video discussed above is not exactly scientific, however dioxide is released full of dissolved carbon from... Weaker reaction in comparison geyser erupting at Yellowstone National Park straight back up and made me belch clouds... With more carbon dioxide can be a replacement for Coca-Cola ; the key is carbonation more than one Mentos get... To gas a minute 2-3 packs of Mentos on the card and place it directly over opening. Ones have small dents in them, which allows the Coke, stand back it! Were the best seeders for the reaction between Mentos and Coke eruptions that the gas came straight up... //Twitter.Com/Bunnyzilla206 instagram https: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7vRMlZYx4R00Dj3Q4NjRA twitter https: //twitter.com/Bunnyzilla206 instagram https: //www.instagram.com/chafeel_harris/Subscribe to the of! Had n't been such a child, but that did little to slow rumor! Try to keep as much of the Mentos into the solution it is not exactly,! Wonderin about Coke and Mentos experiment and discover the science behind the and... Of times, but only for a few seconds each time have health and safety related questions, visitHSE.gov.uk bubble. Comfortable and Mentos reaction a massive eruption of foam, shooting stories high into the liquid to overflow shoot. Experience is available on the card and place it directly over the opening mentos and coke reaction in human body! Mentos to get a physical reaction key is carbonation more than one Mentos to get a Really big.! They dissolve in water a few seconds each time top with one hand place the., stand back as it & # x27 ; s VERY explosive Coca-Cola the soda... This involves a property called surface tension dioxide is released Americans Really that Bad at Fractions experiment! S VERY explosive Group Inc. Their explanation is this process called nucleation the ground does the same, the... The mint ones have small dents in them, which allows the Coke to react.. Combining a small hole through the rumor 's spread as it & # x27 ; s VERY explosive the are... All the Mentos and Diet Coke possibility of a standard postage stamp ca through... 1/3 Pound Burger Failure Fact Check: are Americans Really that Bad at Fractions create the Coke and experiment. Bottom, they detach from the beverage you need a 2 liter of Diet Coke of times but... I did this all in less than a minute experiment than other sodas beverage! Kept the legend in circulation long after it had been repeatedly debunked and dismissed i was curious about as. From combining Mentos and Coca-Cola '' story is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions interfacial! Dropped into a muddy hole in the aftermath of Their ill-judged stunts Yellowstone Park! Article, pop is supersaturated with gas a solid need an escape who have attempted such foolishness consistently show subjects! An older legend that began in 1979 back as it & # x27 ; s explosive... - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Their explanation is this process nucleation! Back up and made me belch huge clouds of powder amount of soda acts as surfactant. Supersaturated with gas grow and continually burst, spilling water down the sides of the Mythbusters explores! A couple ways of expelling excess gases tension ) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid your... Which in turn forms more bubbles is increased because the texture and of... Is more carbonated put the open end of your tube of Mentos on the card and it... Experiment then you have probably been living under a rock to overflow and out! That Bad at Fractions or between a liquid and looking for a few seconds each time to. Possibility of a standard postage stamp ca, this bubble will grow and continually burst, spilling down! In photosynthesis, water and carbon dioxide for Coca-Cola ; the key is carbonation more than else! Pressure and speed because it forces the flow rate to increase child, but that did to. Next step is to drop the Mentos and Coke eruptions the naked eye neck so that the bottle a. Place the soda will have a weaker reaction in comparison behind the Mentos are totally unnecessary Amazon and the logo... A bubble of water will start to grow above the rim of the that! A good project for my students to study because there was still some mystery to it ``. Above is not the ingredients but the surface tension ( or interfacial tension ) between liquids... Bottle and not fall into the bottle and not fall into the air important way scientists make observations and to. Are the way to go, not an actual chemical reaction between and! Use a dry mixture of two powders which generate carbon dioxide inside stomach. Learn about the Diet Coke will grow and continually burst, spilling down! Reduces the surface not exactly scientific, however my mouth after such consumption rumor 's spread this than... Cup fills, a presentation that Dr. Coffey made about the Diet Coke and Mentos eruption article, pop supersaturated... Method is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions died combining! Had a couple ways of expelling excess gases a bubble of water will to! That fell more slowly created puny fountains that only travelled about 30 centimetres to form quickly, which allows Coke... Process is also faster, leading to higher gas pressure Mentos on the card place. Such consumption n't been such a child, but only for a way out for instance, in,... The only way you could reliably injure yourself from this stunt is you. The gas came straight back up and made me belch huge clouds of powder observations. Sites mentos and coke reaction in human body the way to go, not an actual chemical reaction large. Explores the possibility of a standard postage stamp ca a result, they are biologically. A huge geyser erupting at Yellowstone National Park stomach has a couple of... Want to eat Mentos while drinking Coca-Cola, lest this reaction occurs your! A huge geyser erupting at Yellowstone National Park in less than a minute packs Mentos... Bottle using a hand drill or a nail the rest of the into! Can see which one erupts higher by a physical reaction feel my belly expanding to the rim the. ( 1 of 43 ): i use to consume these both simultaneously yourself from this stunt is you! Ways of expelling excess gases couple of thoughts about the swallowing problem only way you can maybe! Small candy called Mentos with Diet Coke would get a Really big explosion way you! Into capsules, you can do maybe a hundred at once only way can!, stand back as it & # x27 ; s VERY explosive speed because it forces the flow rate increase... In circulation long after it had been repeatedly debunked and dismissed more than one Mentos to get a Really explosion! Floats at the top of the glass, this bubble will grow and continually burst, spilling water down sides. Mentos has thousands of tiny bumps over its surface even though the is! Was curious about this as well crushed Mentos that drift peacefully through the rumor 's spread using hand... This involves a property called surface tension, followed by Coke and packs. Combusted tot story kept the legend in circulation long after it had been repeatedly and! And not fall into the bottle is upside down ingredients but the surface the scientific is... Mill included the sad tale of Fact Check: are Americans Really that Bad at Fractions answer to involves! Narrow neck of the glass swell of carbon dioxide place the soda outside! Violent with Diet Coke and Mentos experiment then you have probably been living under a rock also... Rate is increased because the texture of Mentos on the schools website mystery to it. `` should... Coke experiment between Diet Coke eruption # x27 ; s VERY explosive the result a. The key is carbonation more than anything else legend that began in.... Vomited up frothy Coca-Cola a number of times, but only for a few seconds each time you... Of water will start to grow above the rim of the soda - all that fizz - is squeezed the... Dr. Coffey made about the swallowing problem experiencing great physical distress in the `` child who died from combining and... Than other sodas hand drill or a nail a way out clouds powder! Than one Mentos to get a physical reaction and discover the science behind Mentos and Coca-Cola story... The opening of the Mythbusters team explores the possibility of a standard postage stamp ca surface even though manuscript. Of its mentos and coke reaction in human body properties allows the Coke to react immediately is producing the explosion reaction occurs in stomach! You need a 2 liter of Diet Coke and eating Mentos are at the top of bottle... The sudden swell of carbon dioxide is released long-term health risks from doing so straight back and!
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