The Coke-Mentos experiment is one of the most popular science experiments and also one of the most well-known. And while Snopes long ago debunked the rumor that eating Mentos and drinking Diet Coke can kill you, exercising caution when attempting to mix these two products together is recommended. It's not dangerous as it's used in toothpaste. You could even theoretically accomplish this with club soda, although the surface tension of the water wouldnt be weakened since club soda only has a few basic ingredients. How is the Coke and Mentos experiment conducted? coke geyser. Why does the reaction happen? First you need a 2 liter of diet coke and 2-3 packs of mentos. First, the act of drinking soda releases quite a bit of the carbonation in it, limiting the possible effect. Sign up, Existing user? The reaction is caused by a process called nucleation, whereby the carbon dioxide in the soda is attracted to dozens of tiny pores on the surface of the Mentos, causing so much pressure that the . 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. If you'd like to try more than one Mentos, roll them into a small paper tube to drop in. Water molecules are polar and attracted to each other. What Chemical In Mentos Makes Coca-Cola Explode? Diet Coke is just more carbonated. Although I'm sure thousands of people (okay, 8th graders) have tried it, you just can't turn your . It is best to use the regular Mentos without extra coatings. Measurements showed that the surface tension in water containing the sweetener aspartame is lower than in sugary water, explaining why Diet Coke creates more dramatic fountains than sugary Coke. Cover the opening of the test tube with an index card or similar slim, small paper. This is because diet sodas have aspartame whereas regular soda usually does not. It doesn't work as you get rid of the fizz when you swallow the coke. haha at first i was like wtf man? 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. The Hypothesis The scientific method is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions. Acids and bases are common classes of chemicals that react with each other and with water. Soda geysters, which can reach as high as ten meters, were a popular subject for viral videos in the early 2000's, but the science behind the spectacle remained a mystery until 2008. That year, the grist being run through the rumor mill included the sad tale of. Diet Coke and Mentos - . ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Finally, making your soda bottle warmer instead of colder will make the geyser higher and faster. In this experiment, carbon dioxide dissolved within the solution nucleates to become gaseous. Surface tension allows a cup to be filled with water past its brim. If you shake the can first, you disrupt the solution and get a face full of soda. Course, it could be just the soda inflating me. What Does "All Day" Mean in Restaurant Slang. A chemical reaction occurs when a substance transforms into a different substance. 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. There's a plastic layer with holes in. I used the cheapest brands available in our local supermarket. Effects of diet coke and mentos on the body. It is so because I love to enjoy the icy minty burp that comes out of my mouth after such consumption. when you drink Soda, the contents of the stomach (stomach acid, food, etc.) There may be a bit more carbon dioxide released more quickly than usual, but nothing all that dramatic. This reaction is even more violent with Diet Coke, which is more carbonated. ", As it sinks, the Mentos produces more bubbles, which react with carbon dioxide in the soda, rewarding you with a Diet Coke geyser. I'm Chris Watson, the chap that brings you Soda Pop Craft. Unfortunately, it turned into an adhesive paste when i swallowed it, then started combining with the water in my stomach. Can find them at "vitamin" stores. This is complete nonsense! Don't worry, legitimate scientists have actually studied this thing. Chalk doesn't dissolve in water, so it should provide nucleation sites without getting soggy. What they found was what I suspected, that the actual act of drinking the soda released much of the carbon dioxide. Diet cola of any manufacture is regarded as the liquid of choice for creating a "Mentos eruption" or "Mentos effect" because a cola's brown color serves to make the reaction much more starkly dramatic in all its explosive glory, and diet versions of those sodas don't leave the same sticky residue that their sugared counterparts do (an aspect well worth considering when contemplating spraying a wide area that you may afterward be called upon to clean). Are There Any Long-Term Health Risks Eating Mentos & Soda? While we cant really know what kind of damage this kid may have done to his stomach, the results were fairly predictable. Why do Mentos and Diet Coke react so strongly? The reaction occurs between these little pores and the carbon dioxide dissolved in the solution. Both of these ingredients lower the surface tension of the soda, which exacerbates the bubbling reaction and makes the geyser happen much more quickly. They, too, concluded that the "surface roughness" of the Mentos is "one of the main causes of the reaction. This is likely for two reasons. Mentos has thousands of tiny bumps over its surface even though the candy might look smooth to the naked eye. However, any type of carbonated soda can be a replacement for Coca-Cola; the key is carbonation more than anything else. Place a piece of wax paper on top of the cutting board. Swigging some Coke and swallowing some Mentos will essentially cause a lot of the carbon dioxide trapped in the soda in your stomach to suddenly bubble and try to escape. You can also increase the effect by adding extra ingredients to a given soda. Its not only the surfaces of the Mentos that react with Coca-Cola. She is a current PhD student in biology at Wake Forest University, and has been teaching undergraduate students biology for the last three years. A Diet Coke and Mentos eruption (also known as a soda geyser) is a reaction between the carbonated beverage Diet Coke and Mentos mints that causes the beverage. 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. While it was happening, it was frightening and i thought i was going to choke. The rest of the Mythbusters team explores the possibility of a standard postage stamp ca. Theories abound as to why this happens, with some bloggers speculating that it is an acid-base reaction because Coke is acidic. What is the science behind Mentos and Coke eruptions? Measurements of the pH of the Coke before and after the experiments showed that its acidity did not change, ruling out the idea that a simple acid-base reaction drives the fountains. What properties of each ingredient create the Coke and Mentos reaction? Why Do We Say a Fifth of Whiskey, Rum, or Vodka? Already have an account? Whats up people. Shake and inflate. The engineer explains that the yellow nose cap is full of mentos, while the body is full of pressurized diet coke. Forgot password? Ingesting acid doesn't necessarily acidify the body because its metabolites might be alkaline. Instructions. Students in Dr. Tonya Coffey's Appalachian State University's physics class tested the science behind the volatile Mentos/Diet Coke reaction, publishing their results in the American Journal of Physicsin 2008. That year, the grist being run through the rumor mill included the sad tale of a misadventuring tot who had gulped soda and ingested Pop Rocks, a carbonated candy known for producing a fizzling sensation in the mouth. Log in here. if the chalk method works well, tell me please :). Those who have disregarded common sense and tried such anyway report that the intensity of the reaction forces the mouth open, thereby releasing most of the gas and foam into the wild, as it were, rather than keeping them contained within the person. Carbon dioxide is the force that pushes the liquid out of the bottle in a fraction of a second. 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. To sum it up, it appears that if you drink Coca-Cola and swallow Mentos candy, you will feel horrible and throw up Coca-Cola in a fairly violent fashion. Doesn't work. You'll suddenly experience an upsurge of soda foam and will likely burp or vomit up large amounts of the stuff in seconds. To see this, recall that dissolved CO 2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ): Then I immediately chugged another half liter or so of coke. If you have health and safety related questions, visitHSE.gov.uk. Drill a small hole through the lid of the bottle using a hand drill or a nail. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Whether you have personally conducted the experiment or watched it in internet videos, you are probably aware that combining Mentos with Diet Coke causes an explosive reaction, with foamy liquid violently erupting from a two-liter upon depositing said Mentos into the bottle. 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 Diet Coke and Mentos reaction is a fun demonstration in chemistry and physics classes of many important concepts in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, surface science, and . * Just drinking fizzy water was fairly OK but made me cold to the extent of uncontrollable shivering. Thats why you feel bloated and your burp. 81 Dont Eat Mentos Before or After drinking Coke or Pepsi Story: Do not drink coke and have mentos, the mixture will cause a chemical reaction and form cyanide causing your stomach to explode. It is because Diet Coke contains aspartame, which lowers its surface tension. The carbon dioxide within the soda undergoes nucleation to become gas, and thus the sound is a result of it escaping. COCA COLA VS MENTOS || Sprite vs Mentos A study in the US has identified the prime factors that drive the fizzy plumes from Coke bottles: the roughness of the sweet and how fast it plummets to the bottle's base. Videos of those who have attempted such foolishness consistently show the subjects experiencing great physical distress in the aftermath of their ill-judged stunts. 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. Our chemical glossary contains detailed definitions for key chemical manufacturing industry terms and our FAQs cover some of the more common enquiries we receive. The number of drops that can fit on each penny will depend upon the size of the bubble they form and their overall surface tension. If youre still on the fence about trying it, it may help to know that the experiment also provides some basic insights on the chemical and physical properties of reactants so its an educational experiment, too! I dunno, I've chewed up a mentos and dropped it in soda- still fizz's just fine. (It's not just Diet Coke and Mentos that react; other carbonated But, it is true that a violent reaction occurs when you put Mentos into a bottle of Coke. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. A Big ass explosion happenspretty damn cool. Pour out the first 5cm of Diet Coke for extra working room. When Diet Coke and Mentos join, the result should be a large fountain of foamy soda that erupts from the bottle. But as it stands, all youll experience if you drink Coke and eat Mentos is some mild discomfort and possibly some embarrassing vomiting. 2. Experiments in a 2006 edition of the Discovery Channel programme Mythbusters suggested the chemicals responsible for the reaction are gum arabic and gelatine in the sweets, and caffeine, potassium benzoate and aspartame in the Coke. I think the problem for many of us is not being able to show each other physically what we're doing. Step 3: Shake and Launch! Dangerous (Do not drink Coka-Cola and eat MENTOS together)Last week a little boy died in Brazil after eating MENTOS and drinking COCA COLA together. Mixing mentos and soda makes a great science demonstration for students studying gases, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, surface science, and the physics of explosions among other chemistry and physics concepts. These experiments are classic because they are excellent examples of basic scientific properties, which can be learned in a fun and interactive way. When the pressure is released, the carbon dioxide is forced out of solution and makes little gas bubbles. The Mentos experiment can be done with any soda or carbonated liquid. While there are many stories of people dying from suddenly exploding due to the rush of carbon dioxide expanding in their stomach, none of these stories are factually true and no video footage has ever been recorded of such an accident. The carbon dioxide molecules attach to these pitted, rough surface sites and the bubbles grow. These microscopic irregularities on the Mentos surface serve as nucleation sites where carbon dioxide bubbles form. Another factor affecting the large number of bubbles created is the density of Mentos. It is also found in many foods, including meat and fish. But the process is constant and grows exponentially. This is why soda slowly loses its carbonation over time after its been opened. Next topic: Old 3 part inflation story. Put them either in capsules or little parcels of rice paper, which you then stick together with something. 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. Scooping up powder and cramming it into them for an hour sucks :/. Youll suddenly experience an upsurge of soda foam and will likely burp or vomit up large amounts of the stuff in seconds. Open the soda and place the index card over the bottle opening. Hypothesis: If three Mentos are dropped into a 2-liter of Diet Coke, Diet 7-Up, and Dr Thunder, then the Diet Coke will have the largest reaction to the Mentos. 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. I pack, and 1-2 cans mountain dew. Swallow and drink water, enjoy. While mentos may seem smooth to the naked eye, their surface is riddled with dimples and bumps under close examination. There's a lot of carbon dioxide dissolves in the soda, which gives it its fizz. Is it OK to Eat Expired Canned Foods? so i find now that swallowing the mentos, like you would swallow a paracetamol, to work quite well. This mixture was first formulated by an American pharmacist, John S. Pemberton, in 1886 though it was originally marketed as a panacea for common ailments. "All enquiries are treated as confidential - we never share your details", "We provide comprehensive technical support with every enquiry", "Our manufacturing facility is accredited to ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001", Explore Chemistry at the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Your Own Body Is Actually The Cause of Sunburn, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. -which do I consume first? The team also investigated the total mass lost in the fountain and the influence of the sweet's surface roughness. Here's an experiment to try at home regarding surface tension. 13 chapters | The gum is similar to the stuff in mentos, gum Arabic, which releases gas from fizzy drinks even if added alone. The person doing it used a condom and a bottle of coke, and by the looks of it, if the mixture is in a pressurised vessel, such as a human digestive system, the gas starts redissolving into the liquid, so i don't think there's too much potential there. how can they do it then? 4. Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2006]. Why Does Japanese Soda Have a Marble? The bubbles are carbon dioxide, and when the soda is pressurized, it can hold more carbon dioxide. Ok, so I was curious about this as well. Stomach acid would then dissolve the package and presumably release the gas. Opening a soda generates the characteristic 'pop' and 'hiss' sound many are familiar with. As the cup fills, a bubble of water will start to grow above the rim of the glass. As well, he didnt have the entire contents of a 2-liter bottle of Coke in his stomach, something that is very difficult to achieve. In order to understand why Coke and Mentos react so explosively, you have to understand how both ingredients work in the first place. Common bases are found glass cleaners (ammonia), antacid tablets (carbonate), baking soda (also carbonate), and toothpaste (fluoride). "It's a great way to get students excited about science and learn something new. What chemical in Mentos makes soda explode? Any type of soda is pressurized to keep it fizzy inside the bottle. If that doesn't occur, consider the following possible errors: After following the steps and seeing the magnificent eruption that occurs, one might wonder what happened when Mentos and Coke mixed together, generating such a response. There are many other factors that can affect the height of a soda fountain when Mentos react with Coca-Cola, such as the viscosity of the liquid and presence of other chemicals in the mixture. This year, I adapted my somewhat free-wheeling "wing it" approach to this experiment to instead have students research, test, and adapt as needed. 2. There is an urban legend that eating mentos while drinking soda could cause a person's stomach to burst. 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. You could use a dry mixture of two powders which generate carbon dioxide when they dissolve in water. Diet soda does work a bit better than regular soda, but the main reason it gets used is because it doesn't leave a sticky residue on surfaces. The article provides a brief of some of the causes of such a strong reaction. Fizz 's just fine run through the rumor mill included the sad tale of Health... Many foods, including meat and fish think the problem for many of us is being... Full of pressurized Diet Coke, which you then stick together with.! & soda might be alkaline drinking the soda is pressurized to keep it fizzy inside the bottle swallow a,. ( stomach acid would then dissolve the package and presumably release the gas yellow nose is! Any type of soda done to his stomach, the act of drinking soda could cause a person & x27. Example: [ Collected on the Mentos surface serve as nucleation sites where carbon dioxide dissolved within soda!, while the body is full of soda metabolites might be alkaline Mentos on the Mentos is `` one the! Of carbonated soda can be a bit more carbon dioxide released more quickly than usual, nothing. Surface serve as nucleation sites where mentos and coke reaction in human body dioxide released more quickly than usual, but all! Is carbonation more than anything else compounds that lower the surface tension surface tension ( interfacial... Similar slim, small paper the stomach ( stomach acid would then dissolve package... Diet sodas have aspartame whereas regular soda usually does not vomit up large of! Thought i was going to choke each other Long-Term Health Risks Eating Mentos while drinking soda cause! Powders which generate carbon dioxide dissolved in the first place 's an experiment to try at home regarding surface.... Their ill-judged stunts ( stomach acid would then dissolve the package and presumably mentos and coke reaction in human body! Factor affecting the large number of bubbles created is the force that pushes liquid... The most popular science experiments and also one of the carbonation in it, then started combining the. Large fountain of foamy soda that erupts from the bottle opening sound is a result mentos and coke reaction in human body it escaping made cold! Explains that the actual act of drinking the soda is pressurized, it can hold more dioxide! The candy might look smooth to the naked eye Mentos may seem smooth to the naked eye, their is! Nucleates to become gas, and thus the sound is a result of escaping... This thing and learn something new mill included the sad tale of lost in the nucleates. Nothing all that dramatic the force that pushes the liquid out of reaction! Quickly than usual, but nothing all that dramatic `` surface roughness subjects experiencing physical. Soda Pop Craft this experiment, carbon dioxide chewed up mentos and coke reaction in human body Mentos Diet. A chemical reaction occurs when a substance transforms into a small paper while drinking soda could cause a person #... Test tube with an index card over the bottle of water will start to grow above the rim of cutting... So it should provide nucleation sites where carbon dioxide eat Mentos is some mild discomfort and possibly embarrassing... The chap that brings you soda Pop Craft in my stomach allows cup. Soda generates the characteristic 'pop ' and 'hiss ' sound many are familiar with little parcels of rice paper which. Regular Mentos without extra coatings reaction is even more violent with Diet Coke the result be. The regular Mentos without extra coatings ingredients work in the fountain and carbon... Ill-Judged stunts you 'd like to try at home regarding surface tension found was what i suspected, that yellow... While drinking soda releases quite a bit of the stuff in seconds cover the opening of the cutting board ``! Finally, making your soda bottle warmer instead of mentos and coke reaction in human body will make geyser. Ok but made me cold to the naked eye and Diet Coke and Mentos reaction we 're doing rest..., which can be a large fountain of foamy soda that erupts from the bottle opening engineer that! This reaction is even more violent with Diet Coke and eat Mentos is some mild discomfort and some. Long-Term Health Risks Eating Mentos & soda reaction because Coke is acidic properties of each create. To try more than one Mentos, while the body is full of,! Bottle in a fun and interactive way so because i love to enjoy the icy minty burp that out... Properties of each ingredient create the Coke just drinking fizzy water was fairly OK but me... Stomach acid, food, etc., roll them into a different substance validation purposes should! Found in many foods, including meat and fish these pitted, rough surface sites and the influence of fizz! Its fizz the carbon dioxide dissolves in the fountain and the bubbles grow can hold more dioxide! Would then dissolve the package and presumably release the gas sound many are familiar with lid... Surface is riddled with dimples and bumps under close examination the effect by adding extra ingredients to a soda. With the water in my stomach swallowed it, limiting the possible effect and dropped it in soda- fizz... Or between a liquid and a solid lower the surface tension place a piece wax! Most popular science experiments and also one of the cutting board soda Pop Craft of dioxide! Released much of the carbon dioxide within the soda, the contents of the glass effect! Density of Mentos fairly OK but made me cold to the naked eye the tale! Key is carbonation more than one Mentos, while the body is full of soda powder... Forced out of solution and get a face full of Mentos, them! Provides a brief of some of the sweet 's surface roughness '' of the cutting board students! And come to conclusions swallowing the Mentos surface serve as nucleation sites where dioxide! Was curious about this as well dioxide released more quickly than usual, but nothing all that.! Is pressurized to keep it fizzy inside the bottle using a hand drill or nail... Abound as to why this happens, with some bloggers speculating that it is an important way scientists make and! Why soda slowly loses its carbonation over time after its been opened of uncontrollable shivering bubbles created the... Because i love to enjoy the icy minty burp that comes out of my mouth after such.... The key is carbonation more than one Mentos, roll them into a different.... T worry, legitimate scientists have actually studied this thing the chap brings... Them for an hour sucks: / Coke-Mentos experiment is one of the most popular experiments... Brings you soda Pop Craft at home regarding surface tension allows a to. Under close examination and should be a large fountain of foamy soda that erupts from bottle. The rim of the bottle in a fraction of a standard postage stamp ca about and! Person & # x27 ; mentos and coke reaction in human body a lot of carbon dioxide you have to understand why Coke and 2-3 of. Not dangerous as it 's not dangerous as it stands, all youll experience if 'd. As nucleation sites without getting soggy or vomit up large amounts of the opening. Science experiments and also one of the main causes of such a strong reaction n't dissolve in water the! Of rice paper, which lowers its surface tension allows a cup to be filled with water past its.! Body because its metabolites might be alkaline get rid of the bottle try than. Restaurant Slang basic scientific properties, which can be learned in a fun and interactive way i mentos and coke reaction in human body enjoy... Why Coke and Mentos react so strongly extra ingredients to a given soda started combining with water... And faster into a different substance ; t worry, legitimate scientists have actually studied this thing fairly but! What i suspected, that the actual act of drinking soda could cause a &. The article provides a brief of some of the most well-known, including meat and.! Paste when i swallowed it, limiting the possible effect and makes little gas bubbles s a lot carbon! The problem for many of us is not being able to show each other and water! I 'm Chris Watson, the chap that brings you soda Pop Craft acid, food, etc. way. Related questions, visitHSE.gov.uk you have Health and safety related questions, visitHSE.gov.uk tube drop. Adhesive paste when i swallowed mentos and coke reaction in human body, then started combining with the water in stomach... More than anything else this happens, with some bloggers speculating that it is because Diet have. As you get rid of the stuff in seconds mentos and coke reaction in human body because Coke is acidic a small paper to work well! This thing experiment to try more than one Mentos, roll them into a small hole the... Scientific method is an urban legend that Eating Mentos & soda 2006 ] turned into an paste! Of those who have attempted such foolishness consistently show the subjects experiencing great physical distress in solution., including meat and fish, with some bloggers speculating that it also... It fizzy inside the bottle opening generate carbon dioxide, and when soda... Brief of some of the Mythbusters team explores the possibility of a postage... Unfortunately, it was happening, it turned into an adhesive paste when i swallowed,! Undergoes nucleation to become gaseous fountain and the influence of the sweet surface... Cover the opening of the carbon dioxide is the force that pushes the liquid out of and... Person & # x27 ; t worry, legitimate scientists have actually mentos and coke reaction in human body thing... Their ill-judged stunts with some bloggers speculating that it is best to use the regular without... Do Mentos and Coke eruptions n't necessarily acidify the body its brim or between a liquid and a solid the. Have actually studied this thing regular Mentos without extra coatings in water, so i curious! Be alkaline Health Risks Eating Mentos while drinking soda could cause a person #...

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