Add a Fun Spin to Your Diet Coke, Build a Rocket out of It Instead

The Mentos explosion is now a thing of the past.

Jacob Strickling demonstrates the rocket’s build-up. (Image: AP Screengrab)

A Science teacher has recorded a video that offers a new take on the whole Diet Coke/Mentos explosion phenomenon.

In this video, filmed in Australia this week, Jacob Strickling from the YouTube channel Make Science Fun, builds a rocket out of the fizzy drink and liquid nitrogen.

Instead of adding Mentos to your Diet Coke, add some liquid nitrogen. Then quickly turn the bottle upside down and wooossssshhhhh! As the liquid nitrogen boils and turns to a gas, the expanding gases force the Diet Coke out of the bottle in a frothy high velocity eruption, which in turn makes the bottle take off like a rocket (Newtons Third Law!). 

Jacob Strickling

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj