How to Make Mountain Dew Glow
Empty most of the Mountain Dew from the bottle., Snap open a glow stick., Add the contents of the glow stick to the Mountain Dew., Squirt in a little dish-washing liquid., Add 1 to 3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide., Mix in a dash of baking soda., Seal...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Empty most of the Mountain Dew from the bottle.
Drink the soda or pour it into a glass, leaving only ¼-½" (6-12mm) left inside the bottle.
Warmer temperatures tend to produce a stronger reaction, so for best results, leave the Mountain Dew out at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before you begin.
Do not use a bottle straight from the refrigerator.
There is nothing in the Mountain Dew that makes this reaction occur.
People just like the bright yellow color of the soda, but any liquid will work.
Try this experiment with any other brightly colored beverage or even just water. -
Step 2: Snap open a glow stick.
Use sharp scissors or a sharp utility knife to open a standard size glow stick.
Make sure that both compartments are open.
Work carefully with the blade so that you do not accidentally cut yourself.
As you cut open the glow stick, make sure that the fluid does not spill out onto your skin, clothes, or any other surfaces.
You might want to work over a sink, bowl, or plastic mat, just to be on the safe side.
You might also wear gloves.
Glow sticks usually have two separate compartments.
In the first, there should be a pre-mixed solution of hydrogen peroxide and a fluorescent dye.
In the second, there is a chemical known as diphenyl oxalate, which triggers the reaction with hydrogen peroxide and the dye.
Both must be present in the Mountain Dew to produce a glow, just as both must be present in the glow stick to make the tube glow.
For the sake of color, try using a green glow stick instead of one in another color. , Carefully pour the ingredients from both compartments into the Mountain Dew bottle, using up the entire glow stick.
Even though the Mountain Dew and glow stick fluid should produce a little glow, the fact that the glow stick fluid has now been diluted in the Mountain Dew will cause the brightness of the glow to be muted, as well.
In order to produce a brighter glow, you will need to add a few more ingredients to the mix. , Add a good squirt of standard liquid dish soap to the contents of the Mountain Dew bottle.
Use dish soaps without any dyes in them, as dyes will alter the color of the glow..
The dish-washing liquid enhances the luminosity of the glowing liquid simply by the way it reflects light.
It will not be involved in the chemical reaction itself, but it can enhance the appearance. , You need to drop hydrogen peroxide into the Mountain Dew to help produce a stronger glow.
More peroxide will cause a brighter glow, while less will cause a more subtle glow.
Even though the glow stick fluid already contains hydrogen peroxide, adding more will create more of a reaction with the diphenyl oxalate inside the glow fluid.
As a result, the glow fluid will become less diluted and produce a brighter effect.
If you use too much hydrogen peroxide (more than 3 capfuls) the chemical reaction that produces the glow will become overpowered by the saturation of hydrogen peroxide. , The last ingredient you need for your Mountain Dew glow stick is ¼ tsp (1g) baking soda.
Add this to the contents of the bottle, as well.
Baking soda energizes the reaction, even if it is not strictly essential for the glow effect. , You might notice a slight glow from the glow stick fluid before you even shake the contents up, but after shaking it, the glow should be brighter and more evenly dispersed.
You do not need to shake the bottle for a long time.
In fact, shaking it for 30 to 60 seconds should be plenty, and you should be able to tell once all the ingredients have combined if you shake it in a dark room.
The bottle should be sealed to keep the chemicals in contact with each other.
If the liquid is poured out of the bottle, the glow will only last a couple of minutes. , This is only a temporary reaction and may not last past an hour or two, but during that time, you should have a rather bright bottle of glowing Mountain Dew.
Once the glow starts to fade, you can get a little more life out of it by boiling a saucepan of water and quickly dunking the bottle into the boiling water for about 30 seconds.For standard glow sticks, this can give the fluid an extra 30 minutes of life.
For your diluted Mountain Dew glow liquid, however, it may only give it another 10 minutes or so. -
Step 3: Add the contents of the glow stick to the Mountain Dew.
-
Step 4: Squirt in a little dish-washing liquid.
-
Step 5: Add 1 to 3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide.
-
Step 6: Mix in a dash of baking soda.
-
Step 7: Seal the bottle and shake it up.
-
Step 8: Watch the glow.
Detailed Guide
Drink the soda or pour it into a glass, leaving only ¼-½" (6-12mm) left inside the bottle.
Warmer temperatures tend to produce a stronger reaction, so for best results, leave the Mountain Dew out at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before you begin.
Do not use a bottle straight from the refrigerator.
There is nothing in the Mountain Dew that makes this reaction occur.
People just like the bright yellow color of the soda, but any liquid will work.
Try this experiment with any other brightly colored beverage or even just water.
Use sharp scissors or a sharp utility knife to open a standard size glow stick.
Make sure that both compartments are open.
Work carefully with the blade so that you do not accidentally cut yourself.
As you cut open the glow stick, make sure that the fluid does not spill out onto your skin, clothes, or any other surfaces.
You might want to work over a sink, bowl, or plastic mat, just to be on the safe side.
You might also wear gloves.
Glow sticks usually have two separate compartments.
In the first, there should be a pre-mixed solution of hydrogen peroxide and a fluorescent dye.
In the second, there is a chemical known as diphenyl oxalate, which triggers the reaction with hydrogen peroxide and the dye.
Both must be present in the Mountain Dew to produce a glow, just as both must be present in the glow stick to make the tube glow.
For the sake of color, try using a green glow stick instead of one in another color. , Carefully pour the ingredients from both compartments into the Mountain Dew bottle, using up the entire glow stick.
Even though the Mountain Dew and glow stick fluid should produce a little glow, the fact that the glow stick fluid has now been diluted in the Mountain Dew will cause the brightness of the glow to be muted, as well.
In order to produce a brighter glow, you will need to add a few more ingredients to the mix. , Add a good squirt of standard liquid dish soap to the contents of the Mountain Dew bottle.
Use dish soaps without any dyes in them, as dyes will alter the color of the glow..
The dish-washing liquid enhances the luminosity of the glowing liquid simply by the way it reflects light.
It will not be involved in the chemical reaction itself, but it can enhance the appearance. , You need to drop hydrogen peroxide into the Mountain Dew to help produce a stronger glow.
More peroxide will cause a brighter glow, while less will cause a more subtle glow.
Even though the glow stick fluid already contains hydrogen peroxide, adding more will create more of a reaction with the diphenyl oxalate inside the glow fluid.
As a result, the glow fluid will become less diluted and produce a brighter effect.
If you use too much hydrogen peroxide (more than 3 capfuls) the chemical reaction that produces the glow will become overpowered by the saturation of hydrogen peroxide. , The last ingredient you need for your Mountain Dew glow stick is ¼ tsp (1g) baking soda.
Add this to the contents of the bottle, as well.
Baking soda energizes the reaction, even if it is not strictly essential for the glow effect. , You might notice a slight glow from the glow stick fluid before you even shake the contents up, but after shaking it, the glow should be brighter and more evenly dispersed.
You do not need to shake the bottle for a long time.
In fact, shaking it for 30 to 60 seconds should be plenty, and you should be able to tell once all the ingredients have combined if you shake it in a dark room.
The bottle should be sealed to keep the chemicals in contact with each other.
If the liquid is poured out of the bottle, the glow will only last a couple of minutes. , This is only a temporary reaction and may not last past an hour or two, but during that time, you should have a rather bright bottle of glowing Mountain Dew.
Once the glow starts to fade, you can get a little more life out of it by boiling a saucepan of water and quickly dunking the bottle into the boiling water for about 30 seconds.For standard glow sticks, this can give the fluid an extra 30 minutes of life.
For your diluted Mountain Dew glow liquid, however, it may only give it another 10 minutes or so.
About the Author
Jacob Ortiz
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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