Alan Beem, North Seattle College
Arjun Sapkota, North Seattle College
Desiree Dykstra, North Seattle College
Thomas Nuckolls, North Seattle College
The intention of this investigation is to find whether or not it is possible to distinguish a diet beverage from a regularly sweetened beverage based on their indices of refraction. If we can not tell them apart by their indices of refraction, we will pivot to create a sugar-water solution that can. We allocated two ‘free’ class periods of 100 minutes to perform the procedure and record data and then an additional three hours outside of class to record an analysis and reflection. Our team consists of four motivated students with diverse backgrounds in mathematics, computer science, physics, and biology, ensuring a well-rounded approach to the investigation. Beem is tasked with taking and measuring each angle from the laser, with assistance from Sopkota, Nuckolls is in charge of analysis and computation via Matlab programs, Sapkota will take lead of verification to verify our data lines up to our claims, with assistance from Beem, and Dykstra will organize materials and manage the processes ensuring no loose ends, and procure the solutions from a local 7-Eleven.
The index of refraction describes the effect on light transmission by an interface between two different media. We show that the properties of diet and regular sodas don’t create enough of a difference in the refraction angle that the different indices of refraction can be determined within the interval of the standard deviation of the measurements. We then create a solution of sugar water such that the sugar’s effect on the refraction angle can be determined. We conclude that the contents of regular Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew are similar enough to be indistinguishable by their indices of refraction, while sugar water is distinguishable from regular tap water on the basis of non-overlapping intervals of uncertainty.
Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew are distinguishable by their indices of refraction.
*A 1:1 ratio (by mass) solution of water and sugar, and a solution of plain tap water, are distinguishable by their indices of refraction. percent sugar solution: 99.93%