Sink or Float?
You have two cans of soda: one is a Coke, and the other is a Diet Coke.
You place them both in a tub of water.
What happens?
As you can see, the can of Diet Coke will float in water, but the regular Coke can sinks. Both cans contain mostly water, but the can of Coke also has sugar in it. The sugar makes the liquid more dense than pure water, so the can sinks.
On the other hand, the can of Diet Coke contains less than a gram of sweetener, so the density of the liquid is the same as pure water, and the can floats.
According to Penn Physics (University of Pennsylvania):
"Due to the difference in density, the can with the sugar in it sinks while the diet can floats. For a further refinement, mix in a bunch of salt--the density of the salt water increases enough that the sugared coke now floats."
More Fun....
You can create a "candy slide" to safely deliver treats this Halloween in a socially distanced manner. You could also win a prize for it! Here is the information:
https://columbiastemalliance.com/socially-distant-candy-device-contest/
Have a great weekend!
