When you squeeze an unopened soda bottle, do bubbles shrink?

Answering the age-old question about soda bubbles

Have you ever wondered what happens to the bubbles in a soda bottle when you give it a squeeze? Let's explore the science behind this common curiosity.

When you squeeze an unopened soda bottle, the bubbles inside do not shrink. In fact, they behave quite differently from what you might expect. Let's delve deeper into this phenomenon.

Final answer:

When squeezing an unopened soda bottle, bubbles do not shrink because the pressure inside the bottle increases; opening a bottle decreases the pressure, reducing CO2 solubility and releasing gas bubbles.

Explanation:

When squeezing an unopened soda bottle, the bubbles do not shrink; the correct answer is No. This is because the bottle is a closed system and the pressure inside the bottle increases when squeezed, compressing the gas above the liquid. The amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid does not change significantly in this short-term situation.

However, when you open a bottle of sparkling water, the equilibrium is disturbed because the pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide above the liquid decreases, causing bubbles to rapidly exit the solution, and over time, the water goes flat as more CO2 leaves the liquid. This is well-explained by Figure 11.10, where the solubility of CO2 is reduced and the dissolved carbon dioxide leaves the solution as small gas bubbles.

The phenomenon of a glass bottle of vinegar potentially breaking as it warms up is explained by the different expansion rates of vinegar and glass. If there is no air above the vinegar, the expansion of the liquid could create enough pressure to break the bottle. However, a pocket of air allows for expansion and reduces the likelihood of the bottle breaking, showcasing the importance of air in allowing for expansion within a container.

When you squeeze an unopened soda bottle, do bubbles shrink?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Sometimes
d) Depends on the temperature

Final answer:

When squeezing an unopened soda bottle, bubbles do not shrink because the pressure inside the bottle increases; opening a bottle decreases the pressure, reducing CO2 solubility and releasing gas bubbles.

Explanation:

When squeezing an unopened soda bottle, the bubbles do not shrink; the correct answer is b) No. This is because the bottle is a closed system and the pressure inside the bottle increases when squeezed, compressing the gas above the liquid. The amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid does not change significantly in this short-term situation.

However, when you open a bottle of sparkling water, the equilibrium is disturbed because the pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide above the liquid decreases, causing bubbles to rapidly exit the solution, and over time, the water goes flat as more CO2 leaves the liquid. This is well-explained by Figure 11.10, where the solubility of CO2 is reduced and the dissolved carbon dioxide leaves the solution as small gas bubbles.

The phenomenon of a glass bottle of vinegar potentially breaking as it warms up is explained by the different expansion rates of vinegar and glass. If there is no air above the vinegar, the expansion of the liquid could create enough pressure to break the bottle. However, a pocket of air allows for expansion and reduces the likelihood of the bottle breaking, showcasing the importance of air in allowing for expansion within a container.

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