What to do with Coca-Cola?

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From: Ben Pittenger (benpittenger@earthlink.net)
Date: Wed Feb 19 2003 - 07:25:24 PST 

Message-ID: <2880021.1045668328869.JavaMail.nobody@thecount.psp.pas.earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 07:25:24 -0800 (GMT)
From: Ben Pittenger <benpittenger@earthlink.net>
Subject: What to do with Coca-Cola?

Raleigh,

Ah, the not-so-fine line between hidden agendas and science! The evil soda project is popular at my school, as well. I don't include anything related to it on our general list of science fair ideas. (that, or battery testing, or laundry detergent testing) Nonetheless I've had students soak bolts, teeth, and various other items in sodas to find out what happens. Every once in a while a student starts to understand the urban legend nature of some of the stories. (don't get me wrong - I am not a coca cola fan. But I do recognize that some pretty fascinating fictions arise in the public arena.)

But there is potential there. One I haven't seen yet, is having the student evaporate off the water to find out what's left. After reading the contents of various types of sodas he/she could come up with some interesting hypotheses, then double-boil the stuff down or leave it over a pilot light, or leave it in a pan on a window sill somewhere. That seems like it could have the desired 'yuck' effect and be pretty interesting, to boot. (I kept my head low one year after one of my students decided to use the family oven to boil off the water in a 5-gallon sample of sea water. I've always wondered about their energy bill that month. But the big baggie full of salt (and etc.) was fascinating - very graphic! Maybe your student could score a container of coke syrup from a generous restaurant or distributor! Wouldn't that be a kick!? Do college students still use that stuff for its caffeine effects?)

There is always the paper chromatography approach to see what pigments are in various sodas, though this doesn't necessarly address just evil Coke, or its alleged harsh properties.

Good luck!

Ben

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