Why Does Coke & Mentos Explode?
Carbonation When you get right down to it, Coca Cola is a solution of water, sugar, caramel and artificial flavors, preservatives, and lots of carbon dioxide. The latter is the important part. It is added to the cola under pressure at the bottling plant, and it is this gas that makes the drink “carbonated.” You can see the carbon dioxide escape in a small rush when a bottle of Coke is opened, and continue to escape in a small-but-steady stream via the little bubbles present throughout the Coke when it is in a glass. This demonstrates that exposed to the open air, but otherwise undisturbed, the carbon dioxide in the Coca Cola wants to escape. The effect can be accelerated with a little outside motivation. For example, everyone knows if you shake a capped bottle of Coke and then open it, the cola spurts out of the lid in a small geyser. This is because the carbon dioxide, excited by the shaking, is making its big escape from the cola. It will do so the moment the cap is removed and the p
