F2-07: BUOYANCY - PEPSI AND DIET PEPSI

ID Code: F2-07
Purpose: Show the difference in density between soft drinks with and without sugar.
Description: Unopened cans of Pepsi and Diet Pepsi are floated in water. The Pepsi sinks, while the Diet Pepsi floats. The density of the Pepsi is increased by the dissolved sugar, which occupies space between the water molecules. Diet Pepsi has no additional sugar, and is therefore less dense.
Availability: Available

See the Physics Question of the Week for 12/22/2014 for an example of how this demonstration can be used in class interaction and discussion: lecdem.physics.umd.edu/question-of-the-week-archive.html