From ania@cs.washington.edu Thu May 15 15:44:59 2003 Received: from mxu5.u.washington.edu (mxu5.u.washington.edu [140.142.32.164]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW03.04/8.12.1+UW03.02) with ESMTP id h4FMiw1M017626 for ; Thu, 15 May 2003 15:44:58 -0700 Received: from barb.cs.washington.edu (barb.cs.washington.edu [128.95.1.131]) by mxu5.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW03.04/8.12.1+UW03.02) with ESMTP id h4FMivvw001431 for ; Thu, 15 May 2003 15:44:57 -0700 Received: from barb.cs.washington.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by barb.cs.washington.edu (8.12.9/8.12.9/1.2+) with ESMTP id h4FMit65008774; Thu, 15 May 2003 15:44:55 -0700 (envelope-from ania@cs.washington.edu) Received: from localhost (ania@localhost) by barb.cs.washington.edu (8.12.9/8.12.9/Submit/1.1) with ESMTP id h4FMitZd008771; Thu, 15 May 2003 15:44:55 -0700 (envelope-from ania@cs.washington.edu) X-Authentication-Warning: barb.cs.washington.edu: ania owned process doing -bs Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 15:44:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Ania Mitros To: uwracing@u.washington.edu cc: Craig Undem Subject: Re: Coca-Cola acids In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20030515154236.C23934-100000@barb.cs.washington.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Well, to split hairs even further, although atmospheric levels of CO2 are indeed as Josh wrote (0.04%), the levels you breathe out are higher (I believe 4.5%). So I think we were both right. :) Ania On Thu, 15 May 2003, Joshua K. McBee wrote: > Actually, not to split hairs here, but the atmospheric levels of CO2 are measured in parts per million usually, this means that the percentage levels are closer to 0.03%. The gas composition of air is more like... > Nitrogen 79% > Oxygen 20% > argon ~1% > CO2 ~0.04% > many other trace gases... > > Josh > > > On Thu, 15 May 2003, Ania Mitros wrote: > > > No no no! There's nothing wrong with CO2. You're EXACTLY WRONG! > > > > Ok, a primer on carbonation. Carbonation means dissolving carbon > > dioxide (CO2) in water. Some of the dissolved C02 reacts with water to > > form carbonic acid (H2CO3) > > > > CO2 + H2O <-> H2CO3 > > > > For those of you interested in chemistry, the H2CO3 in solution actually > > breaks up into a positive ion H+ and a negative ion HCO3- > > > > CARBONIC ACID IS NOT "ONE OF THE FASTEST ORGANIC CATALYSTS KNOWN". It's > > just an acid. In the concentrations present in Coca-cola, it works > > about as well at dissolving "meat and blood and railroad spikes" as > > lemon juice. > > > > CO2 is just carbon dioxide. The air you breathe out consists of: > > 70% nitrogen (N2) > > 21% oxygen (O2) > > 4.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) > > Your body absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is > > a totally normal part of how your metabolism converts sugars and oxygen > > into energy. Admittedly, your body uses CO2 levels to determine whether > > you're getting enough air, so if you were in a CO2-enriched atmosphere > > you might hyperventilate and get woozy, but the amount of CO2 is soft > > drinks is harmless from that perspective. > > > > Ania > > > > On Thu, 15 May 2003, (David martoS) wrote: > > > > > Another bad thing about coke and all "soft drinks" for that matter is the carbonation. CO2 converts itself within the body to one of the fastest organic catalysts known. This is why it works well at dissolving meat and blood and railroad spikes and 57chevys. > > > davidmartos > > > > > > Ania Mitros wrote: > > > I'm rather skeptical of these claims about Coke. An excellent urban > > > legends website denies almost all of the claims about Coke being quite > > > so dangerous. See one of the following: > > > http://hoaxinfo.com/cokeacid.htm > > > http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp > > > They point out, for example, that lemons are more acidic than Coke. > > > Your stomach acids are more acidic yet. > > > > > > I would think that far more relevant concerns related to Coke would be: > > > * Caffeine is a diuretic (makes you pee out water, makes it harder to > > > hydrate). > > > * High sugar content - Most of you guys aren't dieting, so taking in > > > too many calories is probably not an issue. > > > * High sugar content - Absorption rate - You get a short-term energy > > > high, whereas complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and thus > > > provide a more constant supply of energy over a longer time. > > > * High sugar content - Insulin fluctiations - Some people believe that a > > > sudden increase in sugar levels in the bloodstream is hard on the body > > > by requiring a sudden response in insulin levels to compensate, and > > > that our bodies aren't evolved to deal with that well. I don't know > > > to what extent this is in fact a problem for non-diabetics. > > > * You get no useful vitamins or minerals from Coke. Are you replacing > > > healthier alternatives? > > > * The acidity and high sugar content of Coke isn't good for your teeth; > > > but neither is strong lemonade. > > > > > > Ania > > > > > > On Wed, 14 May 2003, Craig Undem wrote: > > > > > > > E-mail Newsletter > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > Coke... > > > > > > > > > > 1) In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol > > > > > carries two gallons of > > > > > Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway > > > > > after a car accident. > > > > > > > > > > 2) You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and > > > > > it will be gone in two > > > > > days. > > > > > > > > > > 3) To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into > > > > > the toilet bowl and let > > > > > the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. > > > > > The citric acid in Coke > > > > > removes stains from vitreous china. > > > > > > > > > > 4) To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub > > > > > the bumper with a > > > > > rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil > > > > > dipped in Coca-Cola. > > > > > > > > > > 5) To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: > > > > > Pour a can of Coca-Cola > > > > > over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. > > > > > > > > > > 6) To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in > > > > > Coca-Cola to the rusted > > > > > bolt for several minutes. > > > > > > > > > > 7) To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of > > > > > Coke into a load of greasy > > > > > clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular > > > > > cycle. The Coca-Cola will > > > > > help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road > > > > > haze from your > > > > > windshield. > > > > > > > > > > For your Info. > > > > > > > > > > 1) The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. > > > > > Its pH is 2.8. It will > > > > > dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid > > > > > also leaches calcium from > > > > > bones and is a major contributor to the rising > > > > > increase in osteoporosis. > > > > > > > > > > 2) To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the > > > > > commercial truck must use > > > > > the Hazardous Material place cards reserved for > > > > > highly corrosive materials. > > > > > > > > > > 3) The distributors of Coke have been using it to > > > > > clean the engines of their > > > > > trucks for about 20 years! > > > > > > > > > > Now the question is, would you like a glass of water > > > > > or Coke? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. > > > > > > > .