Does Tapping a Can Stop It From Overflowing?

We’ve all been there. You want to quench your thirst with an ice-cold, fizzy soda. You grab it hastily from the fridge, open the can, and…it overflows all over the place. There are plenty of hacks to stop the cans from overflowing and tapping the top is likely the most popular. Unfortunately, it probably isn’t doing anything.

When a can of soda or beer gets jostled around or shaken, more bubbles form thanks to the extra energy. People tend to think that tapping the top or sides of the can will “break down” the bubbles and cause them to disappear so the soda doesn’t spill out over the can once it’s opened.

But, what you’re really doing by tapping is adding even more energy to the can.

While it might seem like tapping sometimes works, it’s actually time that causes the fizz to “fizzle out”, not your fingers. The longer you tap, the more time the soda has to calm down. The fewer the bubbles, the less likely it is to overflow.

Unfortunately, the tapping hack is nothing more than a myth. If you really want to make sure your soda doesn’t explode on you, just wait a few minutes before opening it.

Or, if you’re impatient, cool it down in the fridge for a few minutes to reduce the temperature and gain better control over the solubility of gas in the can.