since carbon dioxide is tasteless, why does carbonated water still have an identifiable “taste” many days after it’s been opened, when the bubbles have long since disappeared?

Question

since carbon dioxide is tasteless, why does carbonated water still have an identifiable “taste” many days after it’s been opened, when the bubbles have long since disappeared?

In: 16

Answer 1

Carbonated water is supersaturated with CO2, more than the water can naturally hold at atmospheric pressure. Releasing the pressure by opening the bottle or can will start the bubbling process and allowing the excess CO2 to escape. However, the bubbling only continues until the water isn’t supersaturated. It reaches an equilibrium where there is still some CO2 in the water.

Answer 2

Carbonated water is supersaturated with CO2, more than the water can naturally hold at atmospheric pressure. Releasing the pressure by opening the bottle or can will start the bubbling process and allowing the excess CO2 to escape. However, the bubbling only continues until the water isn’t supersaturated. It reaches an equilibrium where there is still some CO2 in the water.