Appendix D

APPENDIX D

Science Investigative Project

Project Proposal Form

Name:

Cheryl Chiang                  (   2   )

Sec 2/10

Topic of investigation  :

What is the effect of Coca Cola on meat?

A	Observations made
	I have heard many rumors that Coca Cola, can dissolve a small piece of meat in 24-48hours. I have also noticed that when research is done on whether Coca Cola dissolves meat, many sources state that Coca Cola is able to dissolve meat in a short span of 24-48 hours, however, there are also many sources that state that Coca Cola is unable to do so. Also, in the past I had dropped a small piece of raw meat into a cup of Coca Cola, and after a short span of 10 minutes, I noticed that the piece of meat did not appear to have changed in any way.
B	Research Question
	What is the effect of Coca Cola on meat in a short span of 24-48 hours? Is it the pH of the Coca Cola that causes this effect?
C	Hypothesis statement
	If raw or cooked meat is placed in Coca Cola for a span of 24-48 hours, the meat will not be dissolved by the Coca Cola by the end of the experiment. The pH of the Coca Cola is what causes Coca Cola’s effect on meat.
D	A short summary of research done on the area of investigation
	Coca Cola is mainly made up of carbonated water, sugar, caffeine, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and some natural flavourings. Coca Cola contains 11-13 grams of phosphoric acid per gallon of syrups, or 0.20-0.30 per cent of the total formula while the amount of citric acid that Coca Cola contains is less than what orange juice contains. The phosphoric acid in Coca Cola makes it very acidic, with a pH level of about 2.7. With such a high acidity level, Coca Cola can dissolve limestone, and through prolonged exposure can lead to significant enamel loss in the teeth. Orange juice and sports drinks also reduce the surface hardness of tooth enamel, however colas also reduce the dentin, surface enamel and two additional dental components in teeth. Colas’ erosive potential is 10 times that of fruit juices in just the first three minutes of drinking. Drinking any type of Cola is thus harmful to teeth, and they are nearly as corrosive to dental enamel as battery acid. Many people believe that coke can dissolve pieces of meat as well, due to the phosphoric acid present in it, which gives it its low pH level. However this is unlikely as the pH level in our stomach is between 1-2, and even with such a low pH level, it still requires enzymes such as pepsin in order to digest and breakdown the meat in our stomach.
E	Bibliography
	Babara and David P. Mikkelson, . (2007). Acid slip. Retrieved from http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp Robin Lloyd, . (21, March 2007). Acids in popular sodas erode tooth enamel. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/7198-acids-popular-sodas-erode-tooth-enamel.html Celes, . (2009, March 5). 5 reasons to quit drinking soda drinks (and how to do it) Retrieved from http://celestinechua.com/blog/5-reasons-to-quit-drinking-soda-drinks-and-how-to-do-it/