Diet Coke and Mentos Geysers - A favorite Science Project For Kids
Always a classic and always fun. Mentos Diet Coke geysers are the perfect lab to teach students the difference between a physical and chemical reaction.
1. It is Exciting.
We know kids are going to love it. Open the bottle and quickly drop in 5 to 10 Mentos. Almost immediately, a huge geyser of soda erupts. If lucky, it can be over 10 feet high. What is not to love about that!
2. It takes Simple Supplies
You only need a couple of things for the eruption. Diet Soda, Mentos, and a method for dropping them in. A notecard can be used, or you can buy geyser tubes. There may be a cost, but parents love to donate to this activity.
3. Always a Great Lesson for the Properties of Matter.
The students will be exposed to solids, liquids, and gases in the eruption. They will get the chance to see how they interact together. Gases, of course, are the big focus.
4. It Allows them to Debunk Some Online Misconceptions.
There is so much science happening in the eruption that many websites get the science wrong. The biggest misconception is that it is a chemical reaction. It is actually a physical reaction. There are videos online that show eruptions from bathtubs or coming from the ground. They are not evening possible. These sites are adding in other chemicals. This allows the students the opportunity to debunk these myths.
The Science of the Eruption.
The Science of the Eruption.
Mentos candy contains lots of tiny bumps or nucleation sites. It is also the correct size and weight to cause the carbon dioxide gas to immediately come out of the solution. The carbon dioxide grabs onto the nucleation sites on the Mentos, and the bubbles get bigger and bigger. These large bubbles force their way out of the bottle with the liquid coming for the ride.
Students love digging into the science of Diet Coke and Mentos. Helping students to understand the science behind it is so much fun. Because it is a physical reaction, you don't need to use Mentos. Other objects and candy can be tested. It is all about the nucleation sites. So head to your dollar store for a wide selection of candy and start exploring.
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