You discover that your roommate has left a half-full bottle of cola on the kitchen counter without replacing the cap - AGAIN!. Not surprisingly, the cola is now flat (all carbonation is gone). Why did this happen?
A)The solubility of the carbon dioxide gas in the cola has decreased due to it being left at a lower pressure.
B)Warm bottles of cola will lose their carbonation faster than cold ones, even if the lid had been left on.
C)Oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with the cola, eliminating the carbonation.
D)The solubility of the carbon dioxide gas diffuses through the wall of the bottle.

Question

You discover that your roommate has left a half-full bottle of cola on the kitchen counter without replacing the cap - AGAIN!. Not surprisingly, the cola is now flat (all carbonation is gone).  Why did this happen?
A)The solubility of the carbon dioxide gas in the cola has decreased due to it being left at a lower pressure.
B)Warm bottles of cola will lose their carbonation faster than cold ones, even if the lid had been left on.
C)Oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with the cola, eliminating the carbonation.
D)The solubility of the carbon dioxide gas diffuses through the wall of the bottle.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The solubility of carbon dioxide gas decreases when the pressure is lowered, such as when the cap is left off, allowing the gas to escape and the cola to go flat.

You Discover That Your Roommate Has Left a Half-Full Bottle