The Science of Fizz: How Your Soda Pump Proves You Can Make Heat from Air.
Hi, I’m Ken Kuwako, your Science Trainer. Every day is an experiment.
Carbonated drinks are delicious any time, but haven’t you been disappointed when leftover soda goes flat and turns into “just sweet water”? That’s where the gadget we’re introducing today, the “Soda Fresh,” comes in handy. In class, we affectionately call it “Shuposhupo-kun” (the ‘pump-pump guy’), but its original purpose is a convenient tool to pump air into the bottle, increase the pressure, and prevent the carbonation from escaping.
It turns out that this isn’t just a kitchen gadget—it’s also the perfect piece of experimental equipment for learning about the relationship between air and heat!
Tips for Use and a Quick Warning
Using it is super simple. Just attach it to the mouth of the plastic bottle and press the pump on top—shuposhupo! However, be careful not to get too carried away and pump too much air; the rubber components may not withstand the pressure and could break. Keep this in mind!
By the way, you can find similar products at 100-yen shops (dollar stores), but if you plan to use it repeatedly for experiments or keep it for a long time, I recommend buying a slightly more robust model. Cheaper versions often have weak plastic and rubber and tend to break quickly.
Does Pumping Air Increase the Temperature? The Mystery of Adiabatic Compression
Now for the science lesson. When you use this pump to squeeze air tightly into the plastic bottle, what do you think happens to the temperature inside? When we actually tested this with students in the classroom, we observed the temperature rise by about 2-3°C from room temperature!
“Only a few degrees?” you might think, but this is a very important phenomenon. When air (a gas) is forcibly compressed, it generates heat. In physics, this is called “Adiabatic Compression.” It’s proof that the energy from the work we put into pumping has been converted into “thermal energy,” which causes the air molecules inside to move violently.
Can Air Power Actually Start a Fire?!
If you thought a 2-3°C change was unimpressive, think again. If you maximize this principle of “compressing air to generate heat,” you can actually burn paper without using fire!
I summarized an astonishing experiment (the fire piston) that uses this exact mechanism to ignite fuel instantly without a flame in this article. I highly encourage you to see the true power of “air heat” for yourself.
Inquiries and Services
Make the wonders and fun of science more accessible! We provide easy-to-understand explanations of fun science experiments you can do at home, along with tips and tricks. Feel free to search around! *The contents of this science blog have been published in a book. Find out more here *About the Author, Ken Kuwako, click here *For Inquiries (Writing, Lectures, Experiment Workshops, TV Supervision/Appearances, etc.), click here *Article updates are available on X!
We post experiment videos on the Science Topics Channel!
４月のイチオシ実験！
- 光の魔法CMYウォーターキューブ：光の魔法を体験せよ！水を注ぐと新たな立方体が出現する魔法のような実験です。
テレビ番組・科学監修等のお知らせ
- 4月9日（木）「THE突破ファイル」（日本テレビ ）の科学監修を行いました。夜7時〜となります。
書籍のお知らせ
- サクセス15 ４月号にて、野球の科学について記事を執筆しました（2026/3）
- 『大人のための高校物理復習帳』（講談社）…一般向けに日常の物理について公式を元に紐解きました。特設サイトでは実験を多数紹介しています。※増刷がかかり６刷となりました（2026/02/01）
- 『きめる!共通テスト 物理基礎 改訂版』（学研）… 高校物理の参考書です。イラストを多くしてイメージが持てるように描きました。授業についていけない、物理が苦手、そんな生徒におすすめです。特設サイトはこちら。
講師・ショー・研究等のお知らせ
- 3/20（金） 日本理科教育学会オンライン全国大会2026「慣性の法則の概念形成を目指した探究的な学びの実践」について発表しました。
- 6/14（日） 千葉大学インスタレーション「探究」にて講師を務めます
- 7/18（土） 教員向け実験講習会「ナリカカサイエンスアカデミー」の講師をします。お会いしましょう。
- 10/10（土） 秘密兵器「帯電ガン」が炸裂！ビリビリ！ドキドキ！静電気サイエンスショー＠千葉市科学フェスタ（午後予定）
- 各種SNS X(Twitter)／instagram／Facebook／BlueSky／Threads
Explore
- 楽しい実験…お子さんと一緒に夢中になれるイチオシの科学実験を多数紹介しています。また、高校物理の理解を深めるための動画教材も用意しました。
- 理科の教材… 理科教師をバックアップ！授業の質を高め、準備を効率化するための選りすぐりの教材を紹介しています。
- Youtube…科学実験等の動画を配信しています。
- 科学ラジオ …科学トピックをほぼ毎日配信中！AI技術を駆使して作成した「耳で楽しむ科学」をお届けします。
- 講演 …全国各地で実験講習会・サイエンスショー等を行っています。
- About …「科学のネタ帳」のコンセプトや、運営者である桑子研のプロフィール・想いをまとめています。
- お問い合わせ …実験教室のご依頼、執筆・講演の相談、科学監修等はこちらのフォームからお寄せください。
- Pinecone Magic! Craft an Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree & Discover Nature’s Secrets
- Spin to Soar! Master the Science of the DIY Gyro Plane
- Secret Mouths Hidden Beneath Leaves? Capture Stunning Stomata with Your Smartphone (Tradescantia Observation Guide)
- See the “Height” of Electricity!? Master Kirchhoff’s Laws in 3D (High School Physics)
- Master the Toughest Topic in Physics: Helical Motion! Break Free from the Textbook with 3D Graphs (Grapher & GeoGebra)
- Transform Your Lessons! Effortless & Crystal-Clear Mitosis Observation with Safranin Solution
- A Green Universe Under the Microscope! Discover Living Cells with Elodea
- The “Flower Memory” Hidden in an Apple’s Base. Are Strawberries and Apples Both “Imposters”? The Surprising Truth About What We Really Eat
- Step Into a Tiny Universe Under the Microscope! A Guide to Discovering “Living Works of Art” in Your Biotope
