How to stop your soda from exploding, according to science

What’s Happening

Alright so tap tap tap tap The post How to stop your soda from exploding, according to science appeared first on Popular Science.

Image: Get the Popular Science daily 💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Picture this: Youre at a picnic on a hot day and grab a cold Coke out of the cooler. (let that sink in)

Its wet, you drop it, but think eh, its fine.

The Details

You pop the can open and SPLASH—theres soda all over white shirt. Could you have prevented this beverage tragedy?

Yes, with a little help from science. Secret To Defusing A Soda Grenade YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober explains how four taps on the can will diffuse the explosion.

Why This Matters

When you shake a can of soda, seltzer, or any carbonated beverage , the CO2 gas inside the top of the can redistributes along the edges of the can, into the liquid itself. Upon cracking the tab open, the CO2 gas bubbles push the liquid out with a surge. The can in four key places, you can move those gas bubbles back where they belong.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

The Bottom Line

The can in four key places, you can move those gas bubbles back where they belong. So the next time youre at a gathering and grab a cold one, remember this trick and save your shirt from a sticky bath.

What do you think about all this?