Coke/Soda Kills Urban Legend

Resource: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcoke.htm

To start this blog. What do you think? Does a food industry want to poison all their customers to lose business? Yeah it wouldn't particularly make sense. Also, this won't kill us, but for sure it has no nutritional value. One of the things that will confuse a consumer to this little rumor is a certain chemical. This chemical is usually mixed up with Ethylene Glycol, which is toxic and is used as an anti-freeze. The real chemical used is propylene glycol which is used as an anti-freeze as well. The major difference is that propylene glycol is not toxic. Another rumor is the acidity in Coke. The estimate shown is ph 3.4, this is high enough to dissolve bones. The interesting thing is that we have a digestive system that helps the soda from actually touching most of our bones. Fruits will also have this kind of acidity as well. It's really not that big of a deal, and we really can't hold soda in our mouths for a whole week because then we would have some problems. Also, to an uninformed citizen, knowing that phosphoric acid in Coke would probably scare someone away. Well, be scared of most beverages because that chemical is present in many items we consume. It doesn't hurt us nor does it affect. I conclude that Coke will not kill anybody.

I believe this is a wonderful analysis of a viral email going around. This is very much helpful to anyone that was affected by this stupid trick. This can change what people think about Coke and conspiracy theorists can learn that there is nothing that major in Coca Cola.

Miniature Powerhouse?!

Resource: Science Illustrated September/October 2011

Ever seen a tiny generator before? I have and its one awesome powerhouse. A new type of battery has been made by Toshiyuki Ueno of Kanazama University in Japan. This battery is battery vibration -driven generator the size that measures less than an inch. This battery can deliver twenty times as much energy as itself. It consists of two pieces of magnetostrictive material galfenol, with weights added. It is influenced by weak vibration, the weights are displaced, affecting the galfeno pieces and generating power.

This article was very small. I believe more information should have been put. I would grade this a low C if put in grading letter terms. Also, I think this could replace energy sources for small electronical devices.

Radio Waves can lower Blood Pressure

Resource: Science Illustrated: November/December 2011

Blood Pressure can really be lowered by radio waves! There was about 50% of people who couldn't get their blood pressure lower and people were chosen to test this way of treatment. The treatment involved the disarming of some nerves. In people with high blood pressure, it also had more involved nerves or more activity in the nerves. The liver is connected to brain by some sympathetic nervous system. The radio waves would then be used to disarm or stop some of the nerves, so it can lower blood pressure. This proved to be successful in the people chosen and is very effective.

This article was short, but informative. I believe it was very interesting that radio waves may affect the blood pressure of a person. I think the article should have been more detailed, but it was an alright article. People being able to use this technique may be able to find a better solution than others. This technique can be used even more if presented well enough

Metals Used Today

Resource: http://www.crockhamhill.kent.sch.uk/teachers/science/materials/metal/metal_use.htm

Today, metals are encountered everywhere and is useful for many things. Iron is a strong element that is used to build structures like bridges for example. Steel is made by iron and is even stronger than iron. Steel is used much of our building today, but it can be found in knives, kitchen ware, or even weapons like swords. Although, Iron and steel may get rusted when wet, so it must be protected by a layer of paint. Copper is another element used. It is easy to bend, so it can be used for many items that may take different types of shapes. For example, it may become a water pipe of wire for a light bulb. Another type of metal is aluminium. Lead is a very heavy metal, but it is also very soft. Today is it used for plant troughs possibly and used to be used for water pipes until it was found poisonous.

The website was very informative and relate able. I liked the point where it gave me real world examples, but the website or info itself was very simplistic. This may be a good or bad thing, but I think it was an ok source for information. This website may open or give knowledge to people who know little to none about metals.

Diet Coca-Cola and Mentos

Resources: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentosdiet-coke-explosions-explained.html
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vk4_2xboOE
Many of us know about the explosions that Mentos and diet Coke make. However, how many of us know just exactly why it happens? This explosion can shoot up to 7 meters when the Mentos is whole, but when it's crushed and dropped into it, it can only go about 30 centimeters. What a huge difference! A good portion of people probably assume it's how the gum candy reacts with the caffeine. You'd be wrong. The caffeine shows no difference in the explosion and the reaction. Crossing caffeine out of play. So what exactly is it?
The ideas of what causes the chemical reactions was tested by Mythbusters and then others got interested. After testing their theories of the reactants, we were able to narrow out things that didn't work. Though there is still some mystery to this explosion we have come to the conclusion that chemicals responsible for the reaction are gum arabic and gelatine in the sweets, potassium benzoate and aspartame in the Coke. Also, the tension of both the liquid coca-cola and the surface tension on the mentos cause bubbles. The tension on the mentos disrupts polar attractions in the water molecules. So, when dropped fast it sinks to the bottom and other bubbles push another up causing the rocket of soda.
Middle School teachers everywhere are taking their kids on the field and giving them the amusement of learning with some fun added. My friend and I had done this experiment once, and it truly was a load of fun and a supplier of laughter, all at the same time of learning. This explosion is still with some mystery of how exactly everything works. So, try it with other variables to test the theories that are left and see if they can be changed or altered. Have fun with it(:

Best tasting Bacon

Once again we go into the world of taste testing, but this time we're rating hot, juicy, mouth watering BACON! I was on Yahoo when I came across another interesting topic, "Best tasting bacon". While reading the article, they had listed the best tasting bacon in America:

#1 Nature's Rancher Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon

#2 Farmland Hickory Smoked Bacon

#3 Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked Thick Cut Bacon

I liked reading the article because bacon is very delicious.

Taste Test: Is Mexican Coke Better?

The other day I was on Yahoo when I saw a very interesting article comparing and contrasting American and Mexican Coca-Cola. The difference between the two is that American Coke comes in aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and is made with corn syrup; Mexican Coke comes in glass bottles and is made with actual sugar.

An experiment had taken place, there was a glass bottle of Mexican Coke and a can of American Coke. Both products were put into cups and given to blindfolded test subjects known "the Tasters", another group called "the Feelers" was given the glass bottle and the can.


In the aftermath of the experiment, a great majority of the Tasters prefered the American Coke, while a great majority of the feelers prefered the glass bottle of Mexican Coke. It seemed that the experiment of the Coke products came to a draw; Aerican Coke winning the taste test and Mexican Coke winning the feeling test.

I thought this was an interesting article taking a look into the world of artificial beverage products.