How Does Styrofoam React with Different Liquids?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jhe1984
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Applied Chemistry
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the interaction between styrofoam cups and various liquids, specifically focusing on whether different beverages, such as Coke and bourbon, cause the styrofoam to leak or disintegrate. Participants explore the chemical properties of the liquids and their potential effects on the styrofoam material.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant observes that the styrofoam cup shows signs of leaking after being filled with bourbon and Coke, raising questions about whether all liquids would cause similar effects.
  • Another participant challenges the idea that the styrofoam could 'melt' in such a short time frame, suggesting that observable changes might be due to a macroscopic hole or condensation rather than chemical interaction.
  • A third participant proposes that only strong solvents, like acetone, would effectively dissolve styrofoam, implying that the beverages in question may not have that capability.
  • One participant mentions that hydrocarbon compounds could dissolve styrofoam to some extent, speculating that the bourbon might be more responsible for any observed effects than the Coke.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the extent to which the liquids affect the styrofoam, with no consensus reached on whether the observed leaking is due to chemical dissolution or other factors like physical damage or condensation.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the chemical properties of the liquids and their interactions with styrofoam remain unverified, and the discussion does not resolve the specific mechanisms behind the observed phenomena.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying materials science, chemistry, or anyone curious about the properties of common materials like styrofoam in relation to various liquids.

jhe1984
Messages
100
Reaction score
0
Applied Chemistry Question :)

Ok,

My roomate poured me a Weller (bourbon) and Coke in a new styrofoam cup. About 15 minutes later, I noticed that all along the bottom-most sections (and on the entire bottom) of the cup, the cup had tiny specks of the drink on the outside of the bottom (and to a lesser extent, the lower sides). But the specks apparently weren't large/strong enough to fall off the cup (like happens sometimes with soft drinks, etc.,).

My questions is thus:

Obviously the styrofoam is leaking to some degree. But will the cup ultimately leak no what (drinkable) substance is put in (including plain water)?

If so, does the Coke and or the bourbon speed up the disintegration of the Stryofroam?? Why?

My thought is that the acid from the Coke causes the Stryofoam to melt faster. I am not sure if bourbon (or any liquor for that matter) is acidic, so that could also account for a lot of the disintegration, but maybe not.

Finally, does styrofoam have any particular characteristics that cause the liquid to "cling" to its counterparts inside the cup [or possibly the cup itself]? Why?

Any and all thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!

*Not a HW question
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
If your coke causes the styrofoam to 'melt', you wouldn't have a cup in the end would you? I don't believe diffusion happens that quickly (i.e. 15 minutes) to be observable anyway, not to mention it would evaporate by that time. What I would suspect is simply a macroscopic hole/leak in your cup or simply condensation.
 
The most probably way you are going to melt that styrofoam cup would be to drink some acetone.
 
comopunds of hydrocarbon nature dissolve to a certain extent in styrofoam (polystyrene), maybe not so much of coke, it's probably the bourbon
 

Similar threads

High School How Does an IEC Fusion Reactor Work?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
6K
How Does Physics Explain Chemical Phenomena?
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
6K