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Explosive Fun: Discover the Top 12 Mind-Blowing Facts About Coke and Mentos!

illustration of coke-and-mentos
Get ready to fizz up your day as we dive into the effervescent world of Coke and Mentos, unearthing fascinating tidbits that are sure to quench your thirst for knowledge!

1. Physics, Not Chemistry

Who knew fizzy soda could have so much pent-up aggression, just waiting for that perfect Mentos catalyst to unleash a sugary monsoon? Turns out that surreal explosion isn't even chemistry in action, it's physics playing favorites: The Mentos' rough surface triggers a rapid release of carbon dioxide gas, sending bubbles rocketing out of the bottle, all powered by the sneaky science of nucleation sites and the Mentos' density. And here we were, blaming it on a simple candy feud.
Source => scientificamerican.com

2. Almost-Broken Soda Geyser Record

In a highly carbonated tête-à-tête between scientific showmen and playful sprouts, there was a fizzy duel for the crown of geyser glory: The Mythbusters once held the record for the tallest soda geyser ever created using Coke and Mentos, which soared to 29 feet, but the Children's Museum of Houston came just 2 inches shy of breaking the record because they didn’t account for the soda's temperature.
Source => tallslimtees.com

3. Any Carbonated Drink Will Do

Prepare to be the life of the party or fizz out spectacularly like a failed alchemist: any carbonated drink – not just Diet Coke – can create a fizzy, frothy explosion when Mentos candies are plopped in, courtesy of the carbon dioxide gas that's universally present in bubbly beverages.
Source => scientificamerican.com

4. Fizzy Fireworks Go Viral

When "tall boy" met "short stack" and the fizzy fireworks sparked a viral sensation: Fritz Grobe (the short one) and Stephen Voltz (the tall one) kickstarted a global trend in 2005 by combining 200 liters of Diet Coke and over 500 Mentos mints, filming the explosive reactions that ensued, and leading to the creation of a Coke & Mentos Kit for fizzy experiment enthusiasts around the world.
Source => eepybird.com

DIY Bubbling, Frothing Lab

5. DIY Bubbling, Frothing Lab

One small step for man, one giant Mentos and Coke eruption for mankind: In 2005, accidental mad scientists Stephen Voltz and Fritz Grobe discovered that Coke and Mentos create an explosive geyser, leading them to pen a DIY science project book, "How to Build a Hovercraft," packed with 25 easy experiments for all ages, just waiting to turn your kitchen into a bubbling, frothing laboratory.
Source => geekdad.com

6. Warm Soda, Bigger Eruption

Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats and warm up your soda, because we're taking a "fizzical" journey into the world of Coke and Mentos: Warmer soda triggers a more spectacular eruption than colder soda, due to carbon dioxide bubbles expanding rapidly in the toasty beverage! Feel free to spice up this explosive experiment by playing with temperature and candy variables, and revel in the soda geyser glory.
Source => scientificamerican.com

7. Rough Surface, Fizzy World

Why did the Mentos candy feel like a rockstar at the Diet Coke party? Because its rough surface rocked the fizzy world: When mixed with carbonated beverages, the Mentos candy's texture accelerates the nucleation of CO2 bubbles, leading to an eruption of bubbly foam in a thrilling display of Coke-meets-candy chemistry!
Source => study.com

8. Fizzy Liftoff of Mentos & Coke

Prepare for fizzy liftoff! Mentos and Coke have a secret love affair that takes them to new heights- literally: By dropping Mentos into a 2-liter bottle of soda, a rapid and energetic reaction occurs, releasing a significant amount of carbon dioxide and sending soda shooting up to 30 feet into the air, depending on factors like temperature and soda brand.
Source => stevespanglerscience.com

9. Skydiving Mentos

If Mentos were skydivers and Coke was their trusty parachute, they'd sure give us a high-flying spectacle with every delicious plunge they take: The more Mentos you add to a bottle of Coke, the higher the geyser soars, but the relationship between Mentos added and height reached isn't linear – the impact of each extra Mento decreases as the Mento-to-Coke ratio increases, thanks to the increased surface area the soda can reach on the candy.
Source => tuhsphysics.ttsd.k12.or.us

Explosive Love Story

10. Explosive Love Story

Behold: the magic of Mentos and Diet Coke, a pairing more iconic than Romeo and Juliet, with an explosive love story to match! But alas, 'tis not a secret love potion that ignites their passion, but rather simple science: The tiny pores on the Mentos candy's surface create ideal nucleation sites for carbon dioxide bubbles to form when combined with the soda, leading to a dramatic eruption of fizzy goodness that captivates spectators far and wide.
Source => chemeurope.com

11. No Death, Only Merry Vomitron

Feeling brave enough to chug down a fizzy concoction of Coke and Mentos, like some maverick gastro-scientist, in the hopes of achieving internet fame? Hold your horses, brave adventurer: Combining Coca-Cola and Mentos may unleash a powerful burp or make you feel as if you'd ridden the "Merry Vomitron," but death is highly unlikely. In fact, the MythBusters team debunked this by mixing Coke and Mentos in a pig's stomach, with nary a deadly explosion to be found!
Source => culinarylore.com

12. Internet Game Changer of the Decade

When Coke and Mentos decided to geyser up their relationship, they went from just fizzin' the night away to a full-blown internet phenomena, leaving soda machines and candy stores feeling like they were stuck in a long-lasting pop-up ad: The Diet Coke & Mentos fountains, created by EepyBird on the heels of Lee Marek's original demonstration, garnered over 120 million views, securing their spot as GoViral's Internet Game Changer of the Decade, and led to TV appearances, articles, high-profile collaborations, and even topping it off with some Guinness world records.
Source => eepybird.com

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