Ask a physicist anything.

[kangitanka]

Why does coca-cola and menthos explode?

Nucleation

Quite cool looking though

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Why does coca-cola and menthos explode

The menthos makes it much much easier for the CO[sub]2[/sub] in the coke to come out. Normally, it fizzles out slowly, which is why it's fizzy, but menthos forces it all out. As kangitanka said, menthos can do this because its microscopic structure causes nucleation much more easily that normal coke on its own.

it's beautiful ... is it what all scientists want for Christmas?

All I want for Christmas is you! (ooo ooo OOO ooo)

 

[IzzyPop]

The menthos makes it much much easier for the CO[sub]2[/sub] in the coke to come out. Normally, it fizzles out slowly, which is why it's fizzy, but menthos forces it all out. As kangitanka said, menthos can do this because its microscopic structure causes nucleation much more easily that normal coke on its own.

And one of the additives in diet sodas cause even greater nucleation. And it isn't near as sticky when it dries.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

And one of the additives in diet sodas cause even greater nucleation. And it isn't near as sticky when it dries.

It also makes it better at nucleation that regular coke.

Question: what is 'soda'? I've heard the term a lot on US TV, and I think it's anything fizzy. Is that right?

 

[IzzyPop]

It also makes it better at nucleation that regular coke.

Question: what is 'soda'? I've heard the term a lot on US TV, and I think it's anything fizzy. Is that right?

Pretty much. Soda, coke, pop, and soda pop are all used interchangeably. It's a regional thing. IIRC, coke is southern, soda pop is northern plains, and the others are eastern/midwest usages.

 

[AV1611VET]

Question: what is 'soda'? I've heard the term a lot on US TV, and I think it's anything fizzy. Is that right?

It comes from the term soda water:

Soda water, also known as seltzer in the US and Canada, is water which is carbonated and thus made effervescent by the addition of carbon dioxide gas under pressure.

 

[Chesterton]

 

[Cabal]

And yet you're still all wrong.

 

[Doveaman]

Is this what you call pop culture?

 

[Chesterton]

And yet you're still all wrong.

Oh, you're just asking for an Irish joke here aren't you?

Is this what you call pop culture?

 

[Cabal]

Oh, you're just asking for an Irish joke here aren't you?

Please have mercy, we're too poor for fizzy drinks.

 

[kangitanka]

That's odd. Im Oregonian (specifically northern Oregon), born and raised, and have always used the term "Soda"

 

[catzrfluffy]

How is soda made? Can it be made at home, does it contain baking soda?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

How is soda made? Can it be made at home, does it contain baking soda?

You just dissolve carbon dioxide into it. If you take the liquid and expose it to a high concentration of carbon dioxide gas, the gas will dissolve into the liquid. You then take that liquid and put it in a bottle. When you open it in the normal, CO[sub]2[/sub] poor air, the high internal concentration causes the CO[sub]2[/sub] to dissolve out again.

The reason it dissolves in and out is to equalise the concentrations. To get it in, you make it so that the gas has more CO[sub]2[/sub] than the flat liquid. To get it out, you make it so that the gas has less CO[sub]2[/sub] than the now-carbonated liquid.

 

[Jazmyn]

So if someone was suffocated in a sealed room with a puddle in it, the detectives could tell because the puddle was fizzy?

 

[IzzyPop]

How is soda made? Can it be made at home, does it contain baking soda?

Most 'home brew' sodas use yeast and sugar create the fizz. Yeast eat the sugar and the byproduct is CO[sub]2[/sub] and alcohol. But since the fermentation process is a couple of days as opposed to beer or wine's month or so, the ABV is only around .5%.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

So if someone was suffocated in a sealed room with a puddle in it, the detectives could tell because the puddle was fizzy?

I doubt someone could create that much CO[sub]2[/sub], but theoretically yes.

 

[Cabal]

So if someone was suffocated in a sealed room with a puddle in it, the detectives could tell because the puddle was fizzy?

Well, for it to be noticeably fizzy, it would be more like crushed to death rather than suffocated. And the room would have to stay sealed until investigated and there would have to be enough dissolved gas in the liquid for long enough to determine that that was the cause of death.

 

[Jazmyn]

If one day an unknown planet (on a really elliptical orbit) or a very big comet passed inbetween the earth and the Sun, enough to cause an eclipse, (how far away and how big it is varying enough to cause an eclipse), what effect would it have on the earth and would it have one? other than an eclipse?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

If one day an unknown planet (on a really elliptical orbit) or a very big comet passed inbetween the earth and the Sun, enough to cause an eclipse, (how far away and how big it is varying enough to cause an eclipse), what effect would it have on the earth and would it have one? other than an eclipse?

Depends on how big is is, and how far away it is. It could be extremely light, but still big enough to cause an eclipse. Or, it could be extremely heavy, which would mess up the tides (among other things).

Causing an eclipse wouldn't do anything particularly interesting, unless it blocked out the Sun for so long Earth started to freeze!