Many people assume that the geyser forms when a Mentos candy is dropped into a bottle of soda because of an acid/base reaction, just like when you mix baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and a vinegar solution (acetic acid in water) to create the ever-popular "volcano" science project. But in fact, according to Scientific American, the explosion is a physical reaction, not a chemical one. It all goes back to the carbonation of the soda. The reason that soda is bubbly is because it's pumped full of carbon dioxide and then trapped within a can or bottle, where the gas can't escape. The crushed Mentos candy should sink slower than a whole Mentos candy. In this materials science project, you will see if using crushed Mentos candies instead of whole Mentos candies, which should sink faster in the soda, will change the height of the eruption. You will crush Mentos candies and then use them to make Diet Coke geysers. Mentos plus soda equals an explosive experiment we had to try. VERIFY viewer James asked whether dropping Mentos into any soda can cause an explosion, like it does with Diet Coke. Here's what we As it sinks, the Mentos produces more bubbles, which react with carbon dioxide in the soda, rewarding you with a Diet Coke geyser. Speed also matters, and the faster the Mentos sinks, the larger the eruption. Mentos are dense candies, which aids the sinking process — a factor the study explored by comparing reactions made with whole Mentos The premise is that the Mentos will become exposed as the ice cube melts. When the wax coating of the candy reacts with the diet soda, the drink will fizz and bubble like the classic Mentos and diet soda fountain. If you're doing the project on-purpose or else don't mind getting caught dropping a Mentos into someone's carbonated drink, you can .

why do mentos make soda explode