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Mentos & Soda Experiment 2 - Determining Best Candy
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Background
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When Diet Coke comes into contact Mentos Candy a fast and fizzy reaction happens. But why do mentos make soda "explode"? The answer is a physical reaction, not a chemical reaction. A carbonated drink, such as Diet Coke, has CO2 molecules dissolved into solution. When a gas is dissolved into solution, no bubbles are visible. The CO2 gas molecules are trapped by the liquid molecules. Sometimes some of these CO2 molecules manage to break free from the liquid molecules and collect together along the bottom or side of the container. Big bubbles can only form at a seeding point - a solid surface that acts as a congregating point for the air molecules. That's why you don't see bubbles coming from the middle of your drink.

Mentos have 2 useful properties that make them great for releasing CO2 from solution.

First, their candy shell makes for a great seeding point. Not only is the candy shell something solid to grab onto, but it is rough, offering lots of nooks and crannies for bubble to form and release.

Second, their candy shell has low surface energy. This means that the liquid is readily attracted to the candy shell. As the liquid attaches to the surface of the candy shell, it releases it's hold on the CO2 molecules it was holding in solution. The result is that it is even easier for CO2 to come out of solution, seed onto the candy shell, and fizz up to the surface.
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In experiment 1 we found Pepsi Max, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Cherry Pepsi to be the most reactive sodas.
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Goal:
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Determine the type of candy that reacts best with Diet Pepsi (assuming no interaction between the soda types).
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Test Procedure:
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Put 20 g of different candies into 2 L bottles of Diett Pepsi and measure the % mass soda blasted to determine the most reactive candy
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Data:
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CandyMass Soda BeforeMass Candy AddedMass Soda AfterMass Soda Blasted% Mass Soda BlastedNotes
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Altoids20552013497260.3532846715
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Fruit Mentos20572061714600.7097715119
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Fruit Mentos20562065114250.6930933852
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Gumballs20622016074750.2303588749Had a second, delayed reaction, after the first layer of candy shell was dissolved, a second bout of fizzing kicked in that lasted 30 seconds or so.
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Mint Mentos20652066014250.6900726392
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Mint Mentos20622064514370.6968962173
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Pop Rocks2060202015650.03155339806
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Skittles205820100310750.5223517979
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Analysis:
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Best Candy
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Fruit Mentos0.7014324486
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Mint Mentos0.6934844282
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Skittles0.5223517979
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Altoids0.3532846715
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Gumballs0.2303588749
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Pop Rocks0.03155339806
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Conclusion:
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Mentos is the best reacting candy, with no significant difference between fruit or mint flavor.
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