WAY OT: A can of soda "exploded" on me - how did it do this?

[SDGuy]

So - I came across a stash of 10-year-old Sprite cans. Ok - I discovered them when ants were crawling all over the slowly leaking sugary crud coming out of their bottoms. Having to get to work, I left them in some water in my kitchen sink. I came home that night to discover that the pop-top on one of them had "popped" from the inside (it was still attached, and bent outwards), but the little tab was missing. A few thoughts sprang to mind - "how'd that happen?", "I wish I could have witnessed that", and most importantly: "where'd the tab go???".

Fast forward a few hours - I turned on a light in my front room - and noticed the tab sitting on the carpeting. I know I didn't transport it there somehow - I hadn't walked into that room at all. Here's a rendering of where the can of soda was, and where the tab ended up:



So - armchair scientists - is it plausible that a 10 year old can of Sprite can spontaneously build up enough pressure to violently pop, and also somehow send the tab flying on a 25 foot+ trajectory, out of a kitchen sink, across a room or two? I didn't think this could happen. I really think "they" somehow broke into my house while I was at work and arranged all this (knowing full well that I had just placed that can of soda in the sink that morning), in a vain attempt to think I'm nuts...

[vision63]

I wish you had a nanny cam on it. You could submit it to Mythbusters.

[MacMagus]

It fell off when you brought the cans to the sink.

It was sticky.

It stuck to your shoe or your SO's shoe or to your pet's foot.

You don't remember walking into that room, but you probably did.

[freeradical]

Wild yeast eating the sugar in the soda producing a lot more carbon dioxide?

[GGD]

vision63 wrote:
I wish you had a nanny cam on it. You could submit it to Mythbusters.

Watching the build team trying to recreate the 10 year aging could be painful.


Was there a temperature change or a large sudden G-force on the can after it was moved? I've had cans explode in a hot car, although a bit different than yours, the tab didn't open, the entire top blew off. I also only saw the aftermath.

[Ken Sp.]

Maybe the Ants moved it there. It might be a springboard for their plan to get back at you.

[SDGuy]

GGD wrote:
Was there a temperature change or a large sudden G-force on the can after it was moved? I've had cans explode in a hot car, although a bit different than yours, the tab didn't open, the entire top blew off. I also only saw the aftermath.

Well - San Diego did have a heat wave condition this past week - but it couldn't have gotten above 80 deg. or so in the kitchen during the day.

Ken Sp. wrote:
Maybe the Ants moved it there. It might be a springboard for their plan to get back at you.

That's the most likely scenario, in my book. Could also be the crickets that I've been busy exterminating since I moved in a few weeks ago.

MacMagus wrote:
It fell off when you brought the cans to the sink.
It was sticky.
It stuck to your shoe...You don't remember walking into that room, but you probably did.

No...much too simple...I'm sticking with either "them" or the ants (or possibly the crickets)...
Either way, the can DID spontaneously pop, with enough force to remove the tab from the can. I REALLY wish I could have witnessed this happening...

[MikeF]

Just another incident of one's work getting in the way of their real life...

[beerman]

I've had items leap out of my hands (I'm clumsy) or I might drop something, and it miraculously rolls thru a couple of rooms before coming to a rest. Ever time it happens I stand there thinking "how the heck?" This must be one of those moments.

[Mactel]

Do you have any cats or pets that could have found the tab in the kitchen and used it as a toy?