Why do fizzy drinks bubble?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: CO2 escapes from solution
CO2 escapes from solution ✓ — Correct! Fizzy drinks are made by dissolving CO2 gas into liquid under high pressure. This creates carbonic acid, giving the tangy taste. When you open the bottle, pressure drops and CO2 becomes less soluble. It escapes from the solution as bubbles. Shaking creates nucleation sites, making it bubble faster!
Air gets mixed in — Wrong. The bubbles aren't air being mixed in. They're carbon dioxide gas that was dissolved in the liquid under pressure. When pressure is released by opening the container, the CO2 comes out of solution.
Chemical reaction occurs — Wrong. No new chemical reaction occurs when you open a fizzy drink. The CO2 was already dissolved in the liquid. Opening it just releases the pressure, allowing the dissolved CO2 to escape as gas bubbles.
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