Soft Drink

beverages · fizzy · sweet treats · science

Bubbles from carbonation. Soft drinks get their fizz when carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the liquid under pressure, creating all those tiny bubbles that tickle your nose when you drink them.

Sweetness from many sources. The sweetness can come from sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice, or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, so different sodas taste sweet in different ways.

Some contain caffeine. Many colas and citrus sodas have caffeine, the same ingredient in coffee and tea, which can give you energy but also make it harder to sleep.

Colorful ingredients added. Soft drinks often contain colorings to make them bright and appealing, plus preservatives to keep them fresh on store shelves for months.

Named for being alcohol-free. They're called 'soft' drinks to contrast with 'hard' alcoholic beverages, even though a tiny bit of alcohol might naturally form during storage.