Foamy Soda Science Projects

For a science project to be interesting it needs insightful questions, insightful conclusions, and excitement. You may be on the lookout for a new innovative science project, but there is no reason to stray from already established experiments involving soda. You can recreate several established foamy experiments while adding new external factors and your own innovative twists.

Mentos and Diet Coke Experiment

Mentos and Diet Coke equal fun.

In 2010 many people are aware of the chemical reaction involving the candy "Mentos" and the soft drink "Diet Coke." Nevertheless, the Mentos/Diet Coke experiment is still a good start for a middle- or high-school science experiment. According to an article on NewScientist.com, many people know of the reaction but not the reasons for the reaction. Diet Coke contains a sweetener called aspartame, along with caffeine and potassium benzoate, and when these chemicals react with the gum arabic and gelatine in the Mentos, bubbles grow on the surface of the rough candy, eventually forcing the liquid/foam upward. To separate your experiment from all the others, research foods and other products that contain these chemicals and conduct additional experiments and record your data in order to generate new theories on the matter.

Pop Rocks and Soda Experiment

Carbon Dioxide bubbles.

Any good science-fair participant knows that engaging the audience is as important as creating a good experiment. For the first part of your Pop Rocks/Soda experiment, make a sign that reads "Will Pop Rocks and Soda Cause your Stomach to Explode?" The answer is no, but people may either not be aware of this experiment, or will have forgotten the answer. To conduct your experiment, according to science teacher and author Steve Spangler, you need a packet of Pop Rocks and a 12- or 16-ounce bottle of soda and a balloon. Pour the pop rocks into the bottle and secure the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. Pop Rocks have tiny pockets of carbon dioxide compressed under 600 pounds of force. When the Pop Rocks hit the soda, a physical (not chemical) reaction occurs. The carbon dioxide is released from the Pop Rocks and from the soda, creating foam and causing the balloon to fill. Although there is a reaction, there is no great reaction, and the experiment will prove that stomachs filled with soda and Pop Rocks will not explode.

Carbonation Trapped in the Bottle

Bottle-shaking experiment.

Everyone knows that if you shake a sealed bottle of soda and then unscrew the cap, you'll have a big mess on your hands. But you can still create a good science project by adding extra variables to this simple reaction. Perform and record the data from different numbers of shakes. What is the reaction after three seconds of shaking compared to five minutes? Also, subject the bottle of soda to different temperature environments. Bottles subjected to high levels of heat will have more severe reactions. Finally, alter the speed at which you unscrew the bottle lids. By varying the factors and carefully recording your data, you will come up with interesting scientific information for everyone to see.