The Pop Rocks and Soda
Experiment
By: Cole Peterson / Mrs. Mcnees / Period 7/ Syracuse
Junior High
Problem
Which soda will produce the most carbon dioxide to fill
a balloon when activated with Pop Rocks candy?
Research
1. Pop Rocks actually are compacted with carbon
dioxide.
2. The Pop Rocks pop when they are broken because
the carbon dioxide releases as a gas to blow up the
balloon.
3. A soda that has the most carbon dioxide will
produce the most gas because the soda and Pop Rocks
both contain carbon dioxide.
Cites:
1. stevenspanglerscience.com
2. ehow.com
Hypothesis
If a citrus-like soda creates the most carbon dioxide to
make the balloon bigger then it will show that a citrus
soda contains more carbon dioxide than a cola or root
beer because the balloon will be bigger.
Materials
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Three 2 liter sodas (Pepsi, Root beer, and Mountain
Dew)
3 packages of Pop Rocks
A funnel
3 balloons
Steps
1. Use the funnel to insert the Pop Rocks in each balloon.
2. Take the caps off of the sodas.
3. Put the openings of the balloons on the opening of each soda bottle.
4. Lift the balloons up to release all the Pop Rocks into each bottle of soda.
5. Watch the balloons as they fill with carbon dioxide gas.
6. Measure and record the circumference of each balloon.
7. Compare your results.
Variables
Constant: A deflated balloon
Independent variable: Carbon dioxide in the balloons
Dependent variable: The size of the balloons
Data and observations
My data and observations:
Mountain Dew circumference: 21cm
Pepsi circumference: 39.5 cm
Root Beer circumference: 25.5
Conclusion
The cola soda (Pepsi) created the most carbon dioxide
when activated by Pop Rocks. My hypothesis was
incorrect, the Pepsi actually created more carbon
dioxide when activated with the Pop Rocks than the
Mountain Dew did.