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Mentos + Carbonated Beverage = ?By: Brandon Shillady and Sean Stull
The Big Myth
WHEN ADDING A PIECE OF MENTOS
CANDY TO A CARBONATED BEVERAGE,
OUT OF CARBONATED WATER, REGULAR
COCA COLA, OR DIET COKE, DIET COKE
SHOULD PRODUCE THE LARGEST
REACTION.
Hypothesis
If we drop four uncoated Mint Mentos
into 2-Liter bottles of Carbonated Water,
Coca Cola, and Diet Coke, then the
artificial sweetener of the Diet Coke will
cause it to produce the highest eruption.
Background Info: Source 1
2 Factors Involved in Mentos & Soda Explosion 1st Component = Soda
▪ Provides a Key Reactant of CO2
▪ W/out CO2 from Soda, Bubbles that Form Explosion Would Not Be Formed
2nd Component = Mentos Candy▪ Usually four Mentos Are Put in Each 2-Liter Bottle▪ This Reactant is Provides the Little Grooves that Form “Housings” to
Form Bubbles▪ Bubbles Form in the Tiny Moon-Surface-Like Grooves on Original Mentos
Candy Surface
Explosion Starts when Mentos Hit the Bottom of the Soda Bottle
Muir, Hazel. "Science of Mentos & Diet Coke Explosions Explained." NewScientist: Physics & Math. Reed Business Information, 12 June 2008. Web. 02 May 2012. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentosdiet-coke-explosions-explained.html.
Background Info: Source 2
Agee, Sara. "Coke & Mentos - Nucleation Goes Nuclear!" Science Buddies. GuideStar, 23 May 2011. Web. 02 May 2012. http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p023.shtml.
Key Concepts: Nucleation Sites
Phase Transition in a Small Region
Physical and Chemical Reactions
Solution Carbon Dioxide » CO2
Surface tension Tests to Try During
Experiment Use Instead of Mentos:
Rock Salt
Pennies Dice
Use Different Types of Mentos Mint vs. Fruit Uncoated vs. Coated
Use Instead of Mentos: Rock Salt Pennies Dice
Use Different Types of Sodas Regular Coca Cola Diet Coca Cola Carbonated Water (Seltzer / Soda
Water) Flavored Soda
Variables and Constants
Independent Variable: Type of
Beverage
Dependent Variable: Height of
Reaction
Constants: Carbonated Water, to Test Sweetener
Affects
Amount of Soda / Size of Bottle (2-Liter)
Amount of Mentos Added (4 Per Bottle)
Materials
(2) 14-Rolls of Mentos uncoated mint candies(2) 2-Liter bottles of Carbonated/Seltzer/Soda Water(2) 2-Liter bottles of Regular Coca Cola(2) 2-Liter bottles of Diet Coca ColaVideo Camera with TripodBlue painter's tapeTape measureLadder or Stepping StoolOutdoor Space, with Height Markings (using tape)Safety GogglesPonchos
Procedure:
1. Organize Mentos2. Test-Site Preparation3. Set Up the Camera4. Put on Safety Equipment 5. Remove Bottle Cap and Prepare6. Start Video Camera, Record Each
Trial’s Data7. Drop Mentos into Bottle8. Repeat Steps 5 to 7 for Remaining
Sodas9. Watch Videos, Analyze Data10.Use Data to Make Graph
Data Table: The Raw Results
Mentos + Carbonated Beverage = ? ~~ Experimental Results
Soda Type + 4 Mentos Trial 1 Height (in Meters) Trial 2 Height (in Meters) Average Height (in Meters)
Carbonated Water 0.1524 0.3048 0.2286
Coca Cola 1.9812 2.286 2.1336
Diet Coke 2.8956 3.048 2.9718
Graph: Results Refined w/ Visual
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
0.15240.3048
0.2286
1.9812
2.2862.1336
2.89563.048 2.9718
Mentos + Carbonated Beverage = ? ~~ Results
Carbonated Water
Coca Cola
Diet Coke
Trial # 1 Trial # 2 Average
Heig
ht
of
"Eru
pti
on
" (i
n M
ete
rs)
Conclusion
The Key Component of the Geysers was the Sweetener in the
Sodas
Based on Implication that Carbonated Water = Constant
▪ To See if it Was Indeed Sweetener that Caused the “eruption”
We Think We Followed the Purpose Completely
We Found Which Soda Shoots the Highest
Got Results that Actually Supported our Hypothesis
Diet Coke Shot Up Highest at an Average Height of 2.9718
Meters
We Believe This Had to do w/ Its Artificial Sweetener: Aspartame
Regular Coca Cola was Next Highest with an Average Height
2.1336 Meters
Had Regular Sugar in it
Carbonated Water Reached a Mean Height of 0.2286 Meters
(about 6” to 1’)
Most Likely the Result of No Sugar in Carbonated Water
Myth-Busting Results
We Confirmed
Our Myth
Diet Pepsi
“Erupted” the
Highest
▪ It is the Result of
the Combo of CO2
AND Sugar
Interesting Facts
Carbonation Alone Does NOT Determine Size of the “Geyser”
This Experiment is Really (Really, Really) Popular
Just a Funny Image We Found
What’s next?
If we had the chance, and the funds,
we would test many more types of
Sodas, Mentos (or even different types
of Candies), and do many more trials
of each, and have as few possibilities
of errors as possible.
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