Fountains of Diet Coke, or Fun With Science!

Surely, you have seen the Diet Coke and Mentos videos? Well, I don't pretend to match the spectacular display seen here, but here's a quick and easy way to make an impressive Diet Coke fountain at home.



This actually works, as I have performed this feat my very own self!

1. Live in Minnesota during an extended period of sub-zero temperature days. The colder, the better!
2. Buy a six-pack of Diet Coke. Place in trunk of car. Forget about it for approximately one week.
3. Remember Diet Cokes. Retrieve and bring indoors.
4. Decide you can't wait until it thaws. Open bottle.
5. Voila! Diet Coke fountain.

What is the science behind this? Well, I am no scientist, but it appears that after a week of extremely cold weather, the water in the bottle freezes, but not the carbonation or the Coke syrup. This, you have a large bottle shaped block of ice, which is surrounded by the remaining, darker liquid, leading a casual observer to believe that there is much less ice than actually exists.

It is especially dramatic if you just crack open the bottle cap, because then then the Diet Coke shoots out the sides, making dark stains on the surrounding walls and floor!