Why does soda fizz?

08/24/16

“Why does soda fizz?”

 

Have you ever opened a can of soda and just wondered why it seemed to fizz? Well, believe it or not, it all comes down to one very simple scientific principle, pressure. When soft-drink manufacturers construct soda, they force Carbon dioxide [CO2] into water [H2O] at over 8.274 kilopascals. This pressure will be sustained inside an insulating material such as a soda can, and by result the carbon dioxide will stay dissolved in the water. However, if one were to open this can, then all of the carbon dioxide will be liberated from the soda can because of the pressure difference, causing fizz to form!