# Mentos and diet Coke without the Mentos and Diet Coke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379 "2009-02-04T05:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/1 "2009-02-04T05:15:27Z")
I just saw something on The Food Network about the Mentos + Diet Coke fountain. As we all know, the reaction is because Mentos have a lot of pits to provide nucleation sites and aspartame reduces the surface tension allowing small bubbles to form large bubbles. So suppose you use a non-diet soda (or just carbonated water) and a non-food structure that has a lot of very small pits in it, and add something to the liquid to weaken surface tension. A bit of soap? Could the results be duplicated? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/2 "2009-02-04T06:00:48Z")
I’m told salt and any carbonated beverage, diet or no, will duplicate the effect. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/3 "2009-02-04T06:09:57Z")
It works with regular Coke, too, by the way, just not as pronounced. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![stucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@stucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/4 "2009-02-04T06:15:02Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I just saw something on The Food Network about the Mentos + Diet Coke fountain. As we all know, the reaction is because Mentos have a lot of pits to provide nucleation sites and aspartame reduces the surface tension allowing small bubbles to form large bubbles. > > So suppose you use a non-diet soda (or just carbonated water) and a non-food structure that has a lot of very small pits in it, and add something to the liquid to weaken surface tension. A bit of soap? > > Could the results be duplicated? I didn’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/5 "2009-02-04T06:28:27Z")
> [@stucky](#): > > I didn’t know that. We’re, um, trying to fight ignorance; not admit it. [Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXPOqovSBs) ---
**Author:** ![stucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@stucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/6 "2009-02-04T06:32:33Z")
> [@chacoguy420](#): > > We’re, um, trying to fight ignorance; not admit it. > > [Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXPOqovSBs) The first step in fighting ignorance is to admit you’re ignorant. Go ahead, admit you’re ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/7 "2009-02-04T08:14:23Z")
Last week, I dumped some Splenda into some quite sour grapefruit soda. Much nucleation ensued, and towels were needed. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/8 "2009-02-04T14:59:04Z")
> [@stucky](#): > > The first step in fighting ignorance is to admit you’re ignorant. Go ahead, admit you’re ignorant. [Moderator Note] **Stucky** , you are new here so I am making this advisory rather than an Official Warning. Insulting comments like this are not permitted in General Questions, nor in any other forum besides the Pit. I would also note that your first comment was unnecessary and pointless. I see you have made more than 60 posts in only three days. I strongly suggest, before doing much more posting, that you read all the FAQs and forum rules on this site, and also try to get more of a feel for what is accepted here. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/9 "2009-02-04T15:01:50Z")
> [@chacoguy420](#): > > We’re, um, trying to fight ignorance; not admit it. > > [Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXPOqovSBs) [Moderator Note] This comment was also unnecessary. If you don’t think another post is appropriate, please report it. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/10 "2009-02-04T15:30:23Z")
> [@chacoguy420](#): > > [Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXPOqovSBs) O/T: What’s with the Canadian flag in the background of the office shot? Mythbusters is filmed in San Francisco, and all the team members are American. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/11 "2009-02-04T15:47:03Z")
[This](http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.2888546) is a link to an article in the _American Journal of Physics_ that describes a study comparing various sodas and candies. Unfortunately, I don’t subscribe to the journal so all I can see is the abstract. There is a bit more about this subject in the Wikipedia [article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_Coke_and_Mentos_eruption). Edited to add that this is something that’s well-suited to home experimentation, although you might want to wait until it’s warm enough to do this outside. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/12 "2009-02-04T16:26:07Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > I’m told salt and any carbonated beverage, diet or no, will duplicate the effect. **tygre** has recently been reminded that “salty snacks” + “drinking beer right out of the bottle” sometimes = “beer fountain.” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/13 "2009-02-04T16:45:01Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > O/T: What’s with the Canadian flag in the background of the office shot? Mythbusters is filmed in San Francisco, and all the team members are American. It’s probably a momento from the “Giant Slingshot” episode, where they were purportedly using a slingshot to get across the Canadian border. I seem to recall Kari waving it around during that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/14 "2009-02-04T16:47:00Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > O/T: What’s with the Canadian flag in the background of the office shot? Mythbusters is filmed in San Francisco, and all the team members are American. That was used for the illegal immigrant slingshot myth, where Canadians 😉 were using a giant slingshot made of bungee cords to fling themselves over the border. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/15 "2009-02-04T16:51:31Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > It works with regular Coke, too, by the way, just not as pronounced. The main reason people use diet instead of regular Coke is ease of cleanup. The regular stuff is a sticky nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/16 "2009-02-04T17:09:13Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > The main reason people use diet instead of regular Coke is ease of cleanup. The regular stuff is a sticky nightmare. That’s not the main reason. The main reason is that ingredients in the diet version make it fizz more. See the Mythbusters link above. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/17 "2009-02-04T18:04:52Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > That’s not the main reason. The main reason is that ingredients in the diet version make it fizz more. See the Mythbusters link above. Hmmm, the Mythbusters didn’t do comparisons of diet to regular soda. I grant you the lower surface tension in diet soda will cause slightly bigger fountains ([ref](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentosdiet-coke-explosions-explained.html)), but as you can \clearly\ see in this grainy, totally unscientific [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XGKSFGbVC0), the reaction is fairly comparable. I know the two guys who did the famous fountain with hundreds of bottles said they used diet to make cleanup easier. Anyone out there a subscriber to the American Journal of Physics, or willing to fork over $21 to donwload this [article](http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.2888546)and enlighten us all? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/18 "2009-02-04T19:33:42Z")
In your article, Table 2 shows Diet Coke with mint Mentos sprays a distance of 15.3 feet while Coke Classic sprays 11.6 feet. Caffeine-free Diet Coke sprays 16.3 feet. Diet Coke with fruit Mentos sprays 17.8 feet. Here’s a [pic from Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ShimadaK2007Sept09-MentosGeyser_DSC_3294%2B%2B.JPG) comparing various carbonated drinks, including regular and Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/19 "2009-02-11T04:10:01Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Here’s a [pic from Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ShimadaK2007Sept09-MentosGeyser_DSC_3294%2B%2B.JPG) comparing various carbonated drinks, including regular and Diet Coke. _That_ is an awesome picture. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mentos-and-diet-coke-without-the-mentos-and-diet-coke/484379/20 "2009-02-11T08:19:15Z")
It doesn’t look to me as if the Diet Coke is actually fizzier; it seems to have a denser foam that holds together better. I’d speculate that many organic compounds with a polar moiety will do the same thing (as was suggested in that miserable mythbusters episode), and that a truly spectacular fountain would be produced by carbonated water with a little detergent in it.