Cola-Mentos-Fontäne

2010-03-11T18:08:45Z

204.185.0.244: /* History */

[[Image:Diet Coke Mentos.jpg|thumb|upright|right|A [[Diet Coke]] two-liter bottle shortly after Mentos were dropped into it.]] A '''Diet Coke and Mentos eruption''', Also known as a '''Mentos eruption''' or a '''coke geyser''' is a reaction of [[Diet Coke]] and mint [[Mentos]] candies. A [[two-liter bottle]] of Diet Coke or of another carbonated beverage is used. Diet Coke is preferred because it tends to react better. Dropping some Mentos into the bottle, usually around four, causes the Diet Coke to foam at a rapid rate and spew into the air. Mint-flavored Mentos are used, as fruit-flavored Mentos have a smooth coating which slows the reaction. Because of the spectacular nature of this physical reaction and the easy availability of the ingredients, the eruption is a popular subject for Internet videos, also appearing in non-Internet sources.

A variation of this experiment consists of making the bottle rocket up by closing the cap shortly after Mentos is inserted and then slamming the bottle into the ground cap first. The explosion will generate a reaction like a rocket.

This is why wikipedia is bad.

==Explanation==
In a 2006 episode of ''[[MythBusters]]'', a popular television program on the [[Discovery Channel]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/mythbusters/diet-coke-and-mentos/episode/822481/summary.html |title=MythBusters: Diet Coke and Mentos |publisher=TV.com |date= |accessdate=2009-09-20}}</ref> the MythBusters concluded that the [[caffeine]], [[potassium benzoate]], [[aspartame]], and CO<sub>2</sub> gas contained in the [[Diet Coke]] and the [[gelatin]] and [[gum arabic]] ingredients of the Mentos all contribute to the jet effect.<ref name=OHare>{{cite news | first = Kate | last = O'Hare | url = http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-mythbustersmentos,0,4325641.story | title = The 'MythBusters' Take on the Mentos/Diet Coke Craze | accessdate = 2007-01-21 }}</ref> In addition, the MythBusters theorized that the physical structure of the Mentos is the most significant cause of the eruption due to [[nucleation]]. When flavored Mentos with a smooth waxy coating were tested in [[carbonated drink]], the reaction occurs only mildly, where as standard Mentos added to carbonated drink formed an energetic eruption, by their claim, affirming the nucleation-site theory. According to the MythBusters, the surface of the mint Mentos is littered with many small holes, allowing CO<sub>2</sub> bubbles to form very rapidly and in great quantity, in turn causing the jet of foam. This was further supported when [[rock salt]] was used as an effective substitute for Mentos. <ref name="OHare"/>

A paper by Tonya Coffey, a physicist at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina goes into detail on the reasons and physics behind the reaction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentosdiet-coke-explosions-explained.html |title=Science of Mentos-Diet Coke explosions explained |publisher=Newscientist.com |date= |accessdate=2009-09-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.2888546 |title=Diet Coke and Mentos: What is really behind this physical reaction? |publisher=Dx.doi.org |date=2009-08-08 |accessdate=2009-09-20}}</ref>

[[Steve Spangler]] first put the Mentos Geyser in the public eye, has several videos and detailed experiments about it on his website.<ref>Steve Spangler's personal website at http://www.stevespangler.com</ref> The Geyser Tube is a device invented for use in creating the reaction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geysertube.com/ |title=Mentos Geyser | Steve Spangler's Blog |publisher=Geysertube.com |date= |accessdate=2009-08-12}}</ref>

==Popularity==
One reason for the popularity of the eruption is its comparative safety. Because the interaction releases only the small amount of carbon dioxide present in the liquid, the cola bottle should not usually rupture if capped—although it is possible to break the bottle with physical force.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEmq3xLvJ5U&feature=related|title=YouTube demonstration video}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QuMASPj6Fg&feature=related|title=YouTube video: Mentos rockets}}</ref> This differs from similar demonstrations with a [[dry ice bomb]] which has the potential to generate much larger pressures depending on the amount used. The MythBusters also noted when testing the experiment that, unlike other materials such as dry ice which are relatively expensive and rare, Diet Coke and Mentos can be acquired at almost any local shop in countries where Mentos are sold. Many high school or middle school science labs experiments are based on this phenomenon, as it can promote a better understanding of chemical or physical reactions. The optimal conditions for a diet coke and mentos geyser is to have the coke at a temperature of about 80 degrees F. This way, maximum results will occur.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/HS/Journal/Issues/2006/Apr/clicSubscriber/V83N04/p577.pdf John E. Baur, Melinda B. Baur, The Ultrasonic Soda Fountain: A Dramatic Demonstration of Gas Solubility in Aqueous Solutions, Journal of Chemical Education, vol 83 no 4, April 2006, pp577–580]{{registration required}}

== External links ==

*[http://adityakulkarni.com/2009/10/29/coke-and-mentos/#content Human experience]
*[http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/ht/mentos.htm About.com Chemistry page with instructions]
*[http://www.eepybird.com/ Eepybird, official site]
*[http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/mentos.shtml Mentos Reaction Explained]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diet Coke And Mentos Eruption}}
[[Category:Chemistry classroom experiments]]
[[Category:Internet memes]]
[[Category:YouTube videos]]
[[Category:Viral videos]]
[[Category:Coca-Cola]]

[[da:Mentos-udbrud]]
[[eo:Kolao-mentosa efiko]]
[[fr:Effet geyser du mélange Mentos-boisson gazeuse]]
[[it:Eruzione Coca-Cola Light e Mentos]]
[[he:התפרצות כתוצאה מהתגרענות]]
[[pt:Efeito Coca-Mentos]]
[[fi:Kevytkola ja Mentos -purkaus]]
[[sv:Mentos och läsk-utbrott]]

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Cola-Mentos-Fontäne