2009-06-22 14:23:09.601099+00 by Dan Lyke 10 comments
Okay, what's the trick on the whole Mentos & Cola thing? Tried it yesterday and had minimal fizzles. Maybe it was the $.88 generic cola, but it certainly wasn't "drop the string, get fountain".
And using cola as the reaction mass when pumping up the bottles to turn 'em into rockets? Sticky...
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: diet? made: 2009-06-22 15:19:04.639462+00 by: ghasty
Try with Diet Coke for best results. We also adapted the bottle with a nozzle used to fill water balloons for better range. There's also the Manhatten Project#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-22 15:40:40.88726+00 by: Dan Lyke
Dang, Gary, that link isn't working. I'll pick up a Diet Coke and give that a whirl. I should probably also know a little bit about the "why" so that this can be an educational experience as well.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-22 18:44:10.832756+00 by: Diane Reese
I've also heard that results with anything other than brand-name Diet Coke are almost non-existent.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-22 19:19:05.294911+00 by: Dan Lyke
Speaking of this, Diane, your son was doing a series of "mad scientist" videos on fun experiments to do at home. Has that continued? I should go dig that out of the archives.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-22 20:58:51.696531+00 by: other_todd
Mythbusters found that the aspartame in Diet Coke was one of several elements that led to a perfect storm, as it were. There were three or four things and if you took any one of them away you got less spectacular results. They did not do much hypothesizing about WHY aspartame should have made a difference, but they did document a difference vs regular Coke, generics, unsweetened fizz water, etc.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-23 05:47:05.718211+00 by: mvandewettering
http://www.phys.appstate.edu/coffey/nano/dcm.htm might be useful.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-23 05:58:10.441057+00 by: mvandewettering
Clouds in a Glass of Beer: Simple Experiments in Atmospheric Physics and What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?: More Experiments in Atmospheric Physics
by Craig Bohren are also good books that deal with nucleation and similar physical phenomena.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-23 14:47:28.28306+00 by: Dan Lyke
Thank you, Mark, there will be further reading!
#Comment Re: made: 2009-06-24 18:26:53.121098+00 by: Diane Reese
Dan, my son and his friend made a series of six science demo videos, you can find them here: http://www.frogwatcher.com/doctor/
I do wish they'd make more, but they're seldom in the same place anymore.
#Comment Re: manhatten drink made: 2009-06-25 12:52:36.332125+00 by: ghasty
another link that seems working