Post by OziRiS on Oct 31, 2012 19:43:59 GMT
All experiments posted in this section should be done with adult supervision in a controlled environment and with reasonable safety precautions.
Lots of people in lots of countries around the world have a habit of tapping the top of a soda or beer can before they open it. The common belief is that this will prevent it from spraying if it has been shaken a little during transport or if it has been dropped at some point.
But is it really true? Does tapping the top of the can before opening it actually do anything at all, or is it just one of those silly little rituals that some people do with no proof that it actually works?
I've tested it with my son and I believe I know the answer. I won't tell you though. You have to find out for yourself. Here's how we tested it:
Get 8 (or more if you want) identical canned sodas or beers. Make sure you don't agitate them in any way for at least 24 hours before testing. The first 2 are the controls. The final 6 are for the actual testing.
Find a tall post, table, cabinet or whatever you have handy. I chose a 4 foot fencepost in our yard because I didn't want soda sprayed all over our house. It's important that the ground below it is relatively soft as you'll be dropping the cans onto it and don't want the cans to rupture in any way. A lawn is good as long as the grass isn't too tal. If you do the test indoors, carpeting is a good thing for the drop, but may not be so good when you open the can
Find an eggtimer, a stopwatch or something else that can count seconds.
Time for the control test:
Carefully pick up the first control can, without shaking or dropping it. Open it and note if there is any spray. There shouldn't be. If there is, put the rest of the cans back in storage for another 24 hours and try again.
Now, place the other control can on your chosen tall platform. Set the timer to 10 seconds and be ready to start it. Tip the can over the edge so it falls to the floor/ground. As soon as it hits the ground, start your 10 second countdown while you pick up the can. When your 10 seconds are up, open the can.
Note how much it sprays and compare it to the other control. Is there a noticable difference? If there is, you're ready to commence testing. If there isn't, there may not be enough CO2 in your chosen beverage for this test and you might want to choose another type. Another reason might be that your chosen drop surface is too soft and the beverage isn't shaken enough to spray or it may be too hard and the can has a small rupture somewhere. Work out the bugs and try again
If everything is a go (non-shaken control didn't spray - dropped control did), testing is pretty simple from here:
Repeat the drop, timing, pick-up and open procedure from the control drop test and note the amount of spray for the first three cans (or more if you want). If you're REALLY into getting this right, film each drop and opening, so you have something to compare later.
For the next three cans, do exactly as before, but with a slight difference: Within the 10 seconds you have to pick up and open your can, tap it a couple of times on the piece of metal that will become the opening before you open it.
Note the amount of spray and compare to the first three drops. Is there any noticable difference?
Lots of people in lots of countries around the world have a habit of tapping the top of a soda or beer can before they open it. The common belief is that this will prevent it from spraying if it has been shaken a little during transport or if it has been dropped at some point.
But is it really true? Does tapping the top of the can before opening it actually do anything at all, or is it just one of those silly little rituals that some people do with no proof that it actually works?
I've tested it with my son and I believe I know the answer. I won't tell you though. You have to find out for yourself. Here's how we tested it:
Get 8 (or more if you want) identical canned sodas or beers. Make sure you don't agitate them in any way for at least 24 hours before testing. The first 2 are the controls. The final 6 are for the actual testing.
Find a tall post, table, cabinet or whatever you have handy. I chose a 4 foot fencepost in our yard because I didn't want soda sprayed all over our house. It's important that the ground below it is relatively soft as you'll be dropping the cans onto it and don't want the cans to rupture in any way. A lawn is good as long as the grass isn't too tal. If you do the test indoors, carpeting is a good thing for the drop, but may not be so good when you open the can
Find an eggtimer, a stopwatch or something else that can count seconds.
Time for the control test:
Carefully pick up the first control can, without shaking or dropping it. Open it and note if there is any spray. There shouldn't be. If there is, put the rest of the cans back in storage for another 24 hours and try again.
Now, place the other control can on your chosen tall platform. Set the timer to 10 seconds and be ready to start it. Tip the can over the edge so it falls to the floor/ground. As soon as it hits the ground, start your 10 second countdown while you pick up the can. When your 10 seconds are up, open the can.
Note how much it sprays and compare it to the other control. Is there a noticable difference? If there is, you're ready to commence testing. If there isn't, there may not be enough CO2 in your chosen beverage for this test and you might want to choose another type. Another reason might be that your chosen drop surface is too soft and the beverage isn't shaken enough to spray or it may be too hard and the can has a small rupture somewhere. Work out the bugs and try again
If everything is a go (non-shaken control didn't spray - dropped control did), testing is pretty simple from here:
Repeat the drop, timing, pick-up and open procedure from the control drop test and note the amount of spray for the first three cans (or more if you want). If you're REALLY into getting this right, film each drop and opening, so you have something to compare later.
For the next three cans, do exactly as before, but with a slight difference: Within the 10 seconds you have to pick up and open your can, tap it a couple of times on the piece of metal that will become the opening before you open it.
Note the amount of spray and compare to the first three drops. Is there any noticable difference?
