Those crazy science pranksters at EepyBird have done it again. This time, it's human propulsion from Coke Zero and Mentos. Take a look.
The video raises valid questions.
1. Is Coke Zero a superior propellant or a more lucrative product placement? Perhaps the answer is "yes." I ask because I do not know.
2. Something here is begging to be calculated, but I fear there are too many unknowns. Help me out, bloggees! Is there some reasonable way around the many unknowns?
3. Why is the vehicle braked from the start?
4. I don't understand all the design details, but were they hoping for a Newton's third law push from that wall? Or the transparent pistons? Was this really the best thrust design?
Fun to watch as always with these guys!
The main force applied to the vehicle was from plexiglass rods inserted into the PVC as they were forced against the plywood barrier by the pressure created by the mentos-diet coke reaction. Had there been a better seal between these tubes and the PVC pipe. the vehicle would have gone farther. This is not a "rocket car" in the true sense of the term where there is only a working fluid/gas conservation of momentum thing going on bet very clever (and cool) nonetheless. Also a good object lesson in OBSERVATION.
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