Final answer:
Squeezing a carbonated soft drink bottle increases the pressure inside, making the CO₂ bubbles temporarily dissolve. Releasing the pressure causes the bubbles to reappear. Opening the bottle decreases the pressure, leading to more fizz as CO₂ escapes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a student observes tiny bubbles clinging to the inside of an unopened carbonated soft drink bottle, these bubbles are evidence of carbon dioxide (CO₂) that was dissolved in the liquid under high pressure during bottling. Squeezing the bottle increases the pressure inside slightly, which can temporarily force more CO₂ into solution, making the bubbles temporarily smaller or possibly dissolving them.
However, upon releasing the squeeze, the pressure inside the bottle will return to its original state, allowing the gas to come out of solution again and re-forming the bubbles. The solubility of gases in liquids, such as CO₂ in soda, is influenced by the pressure of the gas above the liquid. This principle is backed up by Henry's Law, which states that at a constant temperature, the amount of a gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid. If the bottle were to be opened, the pressure above the liquid would decrease, leading to an even more significant release of CO₂ in the form of fizz as witnessed by the familiar hiss and bubble formation when a carbonated beverage is uncapped.