Mentos and Diet Coke Rocket Car Breaks Distance Record (VIDEO)
Two men have used Diet Coke and Mentos to propel a makeshift car, the MK II, 239 feet, which broke their previous distance record.
The MK II used 54 bottles of Diet Coke and 324 Mentos, which is considerably less than their previous model, which utilized 108 bottles of Diet Coke and 648 Mentos.
The first time, the MK I was only able to travel 217 feet, but thanks to the redesign of the chassis and structure, the new car was able to travel more than 20 feet further than the previous model with only half the fuel.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The pair, Fritz Grobe and Steven Voltz, gained notoriety after many watched their video depicting a wide array of Diet-Coke-and-Mentos experiments, The rocket car was the natural next step.
The entertainers wore lab coats and goggles, a testament to their mad scientist style of thinking.
To improve upon the original design of the MK I, the duo took pains to streamline the structure of the vehicle to help with aerodynamics and used a piston-and-cylinder system to make the propulsion more efficient.
Despite the comical nature of the MK I and II, Grobe and Voltz urge others not to try the experiments at home. Although diet soda and candy hardly seem dangerous, the two exhibit surprising force when combined.
The twosome’s experimentation using junk food as fuel should not be taken seriously as an approach to alternative sources of power, but there have been forays into similar territory. To date, there has been research into using the waste from cattle - methane from their manure - as a supply of energy.
In order to accomplish this feat, researchers designed a biodigester, which uses poly tubing to produce substantial amounts of energy. Best of all, the converting waste into electricity and other forms of energy is green, and harms the planet much less than fossil fuels and natural gas.
One thing is for sure: sometimes, it can be entertaining to take a break from sobering alternative energy production and find a little fun - even if it is as messy as Diet Coke and Mentos.
To watch Grobe and Voltz's MK II Rocket Car, see the video below:
