Question

extension questions

1. many experiments designed to investigate the reaction of mentos® with diet coke® have been documented on youtube. design and write an experiment that uses the knowledge gained in this activity to investigate this reaction. include a research question; the independent, dependent and controlled variables; and a simple procedure.

Explanation:

To design an experiment on the Mentos - Diet Coke reaction:

1. Research Question: How does the number of Mentos candies affect the height of the fountain formed when added to Diet Coke?
2. Independent Variable: Number of Mentos candies (e.g., 1, 3, 5 Mentos).
3. Dependent Variable: Height of the fountain (measured using a ruler or measuring tape).
4. Controlled Variables: Type of Diet Coke (same brand, same volume), temperature of Diet Coke (kept constant, e.g., room temperature), type of Mentos (same brand, same flavor), and the container (same size and shape plastic bottle).
5. Procedure:

• Take three identical plastic bottles (e.g., 2 - liter bottles) and fill each with 1.5 liters of Diet Coke at room temperature.
• In the first bottle, drop 1 Mentos candy (quickly, all at once). Immediately start measuring the height of the fountain using a ruler held vertically next to the bottle. Record the maximum height.
• Repeat the process with the second bottle, dropping 3 Mentos candies, and then with the third bottle, dropping 5 Mentos candies.
• Ensure that the dropping of Mentos is done in a consistent manner (e.g., from the same height above the bottle opening) to minimize other variables.
• Repeat the experiment at least three times for each number of Mentos to get more accurate results and calculate the average height for each case.

Answer:

Research Question: How does the number of Mentos candies affect the height of the fountain formed when added to Diet Coke?
Independent Variable: Number of Mentos candies
Dependent Variable: Height of the fountain
Controlled Variables: Type of Diet Coke, temperature of Diet Coke, type of Mentos, container
Procedure:

1. Take three 2 - liter plastic bottles, fill each with 1.5 L Diet Coke at room temperature.
2. Drop 1, 3, 5 Mentos (respectively) into each bottle quickly.
3. Measure and record the maximum fountain height for each.
4. Repeat the experiment 3 times for each case and calculate the average height.