I can’t believe it has been a year since I posted about my Thing 2 begrudgingly dragging his science project to school and how I was “Yosemite Sammin'” all the way. As I recall, that was a Tuesday as well. It was a desperate morning which came on the heels of a panicked weekend.
This year, we were ready. T2 picked an awesome experiment and we all got involved.
Last year they didn’t allow it.
The year before that, they didn’t allow it.
It was deemed too controversial, too dangerous, too daring, too risky, too much fun…
But this year they allowed it. They brought it back.
T2’s moment had come — he’d been wanting to do this experiment for years.
He chose early and he chose decisively:
“The Effect of Mint Mentos on Diet Coke”
Everyone was excited for this one. Even T3, who despite his enthusiasm, did not get out of his pajamas to witness the explosions.
Here’s me cutting out numbers to place on our tree out back because the original set up (a weathered wooden 2″ x 4″ with 1″ numbers in dark marker scrawled on it) was not visible enough from 10’+ away (go figure), nor was 5′ high enough. Shh. Those aren’t my spring-loaded stainless steel Pampered Chef professional kitchen shears, product #1088 (… sorry, I can never easily resist the temptation to make fun of myself).
Without further ado:
It was a breezy day. We had to put tape on the wind-side of the numbers so they’d stay on. We lost “7” in a gust. It landed by the playset. Put funnel on bottle… insert Mentos into funnel… stand back … la la la laaaaaa…
Annnnd the funnel fell off. About half the Mentos dropped into the cracks between the decking. (No, we didn’t make this platform for the experiment. Glancing at husband… Oh, we did? We did. (No we didn’t.) But check it out: my kid has the gift of flight!
We needed a Mentos holder that could repeatedly get wet but also wider than the sheath of Mentos because they wouldn’t slide out at all. Those FreshMakers… they are tightly packed. (And they stick to your teeth.)
So, genius mom that I am (trust me, the Egyptians have nothing on me sometimes, I have this weird knack for coming up with quick solutions using what’s already there) I said, “Let’s cut the top off an old bottle and tape the openings together.” I felt like Galileo, I faced scrutiny everywhere I turned. Isn’t he cute? Don’t look at him. He’s mine and I will protect him with my fangs and caustic neurotoxic saliva. Look at the next picture. He’s not here. Erase that image from your mind.
And yet, I we prevailed. Seven feet, baby. HOLLA! He’s not in this picture either. Look at the font! Look at the font! Moving on…
We saw some stats that suggested 20′ geysers, but those are with smaller, modified (INORGANIC! CHEATERS!) openings which obviously increase the pressure, duhhhh. Cheaters.
Today he took his experiment board to school proudly and punctually and it was great. I’d include a picture of it here, but I forgot to take one. I suck. Maybe Dad has one… hang on.
Nope. We both suck. We’ll take one at the science expo and I’ll put it online after that. And maybe I’ll delete this line. Or maybe I won’t…
And today on the way home from said deposit at school, I encountered a new friend:
Hello Rocky!
I’m always glad that I have my phone with me when things like this happen. I usually don’t bring it at all on walks to school because I want to be present with my boys, but when things like this happen, I’m so pleased I have it!
Thank you.
Grass Oil by Molly Field 
Haha brilliant!!! I didn’t realise it worked with diet coke as well I knew it worked with “fat” coke. Wonder if it works with Coke Zero
i wonder. i do have some extra mentos, but we only have cherry coke zero (that’s a treat — i can’t stand that stuff, but my kids like it because their uncle does and they have this cute little relationship with him). perhaps i will try. >commence sideways glance and chin stroking<
LOL. I’ll have to see if they do Mentoes in the shop I’m going to in a minute
I love that experiment SO much. 🙂
oui.
I love that experiment……..Great pics! We have done this many times but never thought to measure the geyser…or take pics
I can not believe the school banned it…………….ok, yes I can 😉
Have a great day!
I think they banned it because everyone wanted to do it. and then over the years the scope of experiments became so limited and the rut so well worn, that they must’ve decided to allow a few per classroom. he was so excited when he was allowed.
Hey, did you watch the Oscars??
If not, wanted to let you know that delightful short animated film Paperman, won!
Thanks again for sharing that!
oh! PAPERMAN WON?! How absolutely fantastic. wonderful.
no, i didn’t watch the Oscars. it’s fun, but it takes too long. sometimes i regret it. thanks for letting me know about Paperman.
I do not blame you for not watching them……we had it on DVR and were speed watching it….Unfortunately it ran over and we did not get to see all of the hyped categories…..It is a time suck and there is certainly no need for them to be that long; they need to cut out all of the BS and just hand out the gold men……I probably will not watch them next year
T2 may need to go into EOD in the military. Very cool.
Yes! An outlet!! 🙂
Too funny and love the pics!!
Next time we’re getting you to watch….
Taking notes so I can do this when my kids are bigger. Fun!
It’s a kick. Be sure to use the old bottle opening thing though. The mentos just won’t go in…
Soooo cool! I can’t wait to show my 12-year-old!! And seriously, “Let’s cut the top off an old bottle and tape the openings together.”–That was GENIUS!
It was fun. His final attempt was a disaster. The bottle tipped over and the diet coke gushed on the tree. He had a great time doing it all.
What a fun post! We tried it at he lake one summer. I don’t think we hit 7 feet. We couldn’t get enough Mentos in fast enough before the spray was headed out! BTW, where are we going next Wednesday?
that premature ejaculate was our problem too; that’s when i came up with the old neck from used bottle idea. it changed everything. i dunno – where do you wanna go? phillips?
This looks so fun. We will be doing this some day! I am also never eating mentos and drinking coke at the same ever again. Just watching this gave me heartburn…gah!
it’s a kick. no – don’t combine those in your body ever.