Mentos + Carbonated Beverage = ?By: Brandon Shillady and Sean Stull

The Big MythWHEN 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

2.8956 3.048 2.9718

Mentos + Carbonated Beverage = ? ~~ Results

Carbonated Water

Coca Cola

Diet Coke

Trial # 1 Trial # 2 Average

Hei

ght

of "

Erup

tion

" (i

n M

eter

s)

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.