Paul Park

AP Statistics Project The Coke Study

Difference of CO2 concentrations between coke in plastic bottles and glass bottles

By: Paul Park Date: May 21, 2010 3A

Paul Park Preamble Question: Is there any difference in CO2 level/concentration between plastic-bottled coke and glass-bottled coke? My motivation to this question first came into light when my parents brought me a glass-bottled coke. When I first tasted it, I thought that it tasted different from a plasticbottled coke. It felt as if glass-bottled cokes generally had different level of CO2 compared to that of plastic-bottled cokes. When it came time for me to come up with a question for this project, I thought this was a perfect question for me to investigate. The type of this study is an observational study, since no treatments were imposed by the study. The populations in question are all plastic-bottled cokes and all glassbottled cokes sold at Wal-Marts and Sams Clubs in Columbia, South Carolina. Each population should be well over five-thousand. The explanatory variable in this study is the type of the bottle of coke, and the response variable is the level of CO2 captured from the container. There are two levels to the explanatory variable: plastic and glass. The mass of CO2 will be measured as the level of CO2 captured from the container. The samples of the populations are the sample plastic-bottled cokes and sample glass-bottled cokes. The samples have been obtained from Wal-Mart and Sams Club at Harbison Blvd. There is a possibility of an extraneous variable. There is a chance that the difference in bottling locations may result in different levels of CO2. I have no evidence to indicate that this difference in bottling locations present a significant effect on the data. No method has been used to control for this variable, but it is worth mentioning. If this study was carried out again in the future, it will be worth taking this variable into a deeper account. Also, since the samples are chosen from two different stores, Wal-Mart and Sams Club, it is possible that one of the stores may have kept the cokes in stock longer than the other store. This could possibly result in those cokes of the former store having less CO2 concentration because CO2 was released during their longer time in the store. There is no evidence to indicate that this difference in stock time present a significant effect on the data. It will be kept in mind, but no method has been used to control for this variable.

Paul Park I have chosen my sample by taking a cluster sample for each type of bottle. I have chosen my sample by randomly selecting (SRS) a box of coke, not individual bottles of coke. The particular boxes of coke that I have looked for contained 24 bottles of coke. I assigned two-digit numbers. The boxes of cokes in Wal-Mart were assigned two-digit numbers first. I went from the left end of the shelf and started assigning two-digit numbers to every box of coke as I proceeded to the other end of the shelf. Once all boxes of coke in Wal-Mart have been assigned two-digit numbers, I went to Sams Club and started assigning two-digit numbers there. From there, I went from the left end of the shelf that sold boxes of coke and started assigning two-digit numbers (I kept the numbers from the ones in Wal-Mart and continued from where I left off) as I proceeded to the other end of the shelf. Therefore, the first box of coke encountered in Wal-Mart at the left end of the shelf where cokes were sold was assigned digits 01. The next box was assigned digits 02, and continued onto the shelf of cokes in Sams Club, where the last box of coke encountered at the right-end of the shelf was assigned a two-digit number. This was done individually for both plastic-bottled coke and glass-bottled coke. The last box of plastic-bottled coke was assigned digits 54, and the last box of glass-bottled coke was assigned digits 38. Then, using a Table of Random Digits from The Practice of Statistics (Yates, Moore, and Starnes) and starting from line 112 (The line was chosen arbitrarily), I read two digits. I accepted the digits that represented the assigned number of a box of coke, and I rejected those that did not. I stopped reading the table once one box of coke had been chosen. This was done twiceonce to select a box of plasticbottled coke and again to select a box of glass-bottled coke. Once a box of plastic-bottled coke was selected, I continued right from where I left off on the table to select a box of glass-bottled coke. From line 112 from the ToRD, I rejected 59, 63, 68, 88, and accepted 04. I selected a box of plastic-bottled coke assigned number 04, or the 4th box of plasticbottled coke from the left end of the shelf where they were sold. Then, I continued right from where I accepted 04. The next number was, again, 04, which I accepted. I selected a box of glass-bottled coke assigned number 04, or the 4th box of glass-bottled coke from the left end of the shelf where they were sold. This produced a sample of plastic-bottled coke and a sample of glass-bottled coke, each with sample size of 24 (every box contained 24 bottles of coke).

Paul Park I have measured the level of CO2 in each bottle of coke by tightly wrapping the end of a balloon around the lid of the coke container. Before measuring, each balloon by itself was measured on a balance scale. Then, the balloon was allowed to capture the emitting CO2 for fifteen seconds. Each of both plastic bottles and glass bottles of coke contained 16 fluid ounces of coke; the volume of coke in each bottle was the same. Likewise, the temperature stayed the same. In order to make sure both plastic-bottled and glass-bottled cokes were measured under the same conditions, a pair of a plastic bottle and glass bottle of coke has been measured simultaneously for each measurement. After fifteen seconds, the balloons were removed and quickly tied and sealed. The masses of these balloons were then immediately measured on a balance scale. To get the mass of CO2 by itself, the mass of the balloon by itself was subtracted from the total mass of the balloon and the CO2 inside. Note that these balloons filled with CO2 were denser than the air, so the balloons sank, allowing their masses to be measured easily. These procedures have been repeated until all bottles of coke have been measured. Additionally, each bottle was measured using a fresh balloon to zero the scale. A Test of Significance was used to test if there is a difference in CO2 levels between plastic-bottled and glass-bottled cokes. There are two samples, the sample plastic-bottled coke and the sample glass-bottled coke. As a result, a two sample t-test for true difference of means was used as the test of significance. I used a 5% significance level for this test. Main Body I have done mostly as was planned. However, I realized that not enough CO2 was being emitted from the bottles for the balloons to collect enough amounts of CO2 for accurate measurements. In order to fix this problem, I shook each bottle of coke for three seconds, with an equal level of intensity for all bottles, to speed up the emission of CO2. Also, I changed the measuring time for fifteen seconds to one minute; fifteen seconds was too short and resulted in little change in the mass of the balloon for me to get reliable results. The changes worked quite well, and the results were easier to measure than they were before. The rest of the procedure went as planned.

Paul Park The data I have gathered are shown below: Coke in Plastic Bottles Bottle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Mass of Balloon Mass of Balloon Coke in Glass Bottles Mass of Balloon Mass of Balloon

w/ CO2 w/ CO2 11.41g 15.21g 11.71g 15.30g 12.76g 16.56g 12.41g 16.19g 11.73g 15.42g 12.72g 17.08g 10.98g 15.21g 11.78g 15.63g 11.64g 16.23g 11.42g 15.52g 11.87g 16.10g 12.53g 16.13g 12.31g 15.87g 11.25g 14.42g 13.31g 16.81g 10.34g 13.27g 10.72g 15.42g 13.99g 17.73g 11.03g 15.67g 10.79g 15.06g 12.11g 15.81g 11.59g 14.33g 12.64g 15.84g 10.46g 13.86g 12.98g 16.12g 10.96g 14.39g 13.21g 17.02g 13.42g 16.49g 13.41g 16.97g 11.49g 15.63g 12.31g 15.71g 12.39g 16.86g 11.42g 15.17g 12.43g 15.91g 10.98g 14.96g 12.79g 15.75g 11.01g 14.81g 12.81g 16.57g 12.33g 15.12g 13.53g 17.27g 12.51g 15.50g 11.48g 15.60g 11.76g 14.94g 10.47g 14.52g 12.43g 15.32g 11.80g 15.23g 11.21g 15.01g 13.96g 18.31g After recording these results, I took the difference between the mass of a balloon

with CO2 and the mass of the same balloon only to get the mass of CO2 only. The results have been compiled into the final data chart. Coke in Plastic Bottles Mass of CO2 15.21g 11.41g = 3.80g 16.56g 12.76g = 3.80g 15.42g 11.73g = 3.69g 15.21g 10.98g = 4.23g 16.23g 11.64g = 4.59g 16.10g 11.87g = 4.23g 15.87g 12.31g = 3.56g Coke in Glass Bottles Mass of CO2 15.30g 11.71g = 3.59g 16.19g 12.41g = 3.78g 17.08g 12.72g = 4.36g 15.63g 11.78g = 3.85g 15.52g 11.42g = 4.10g 16.13g 12.53g = 3.60g 14.42g 11.25g = 3.17g

Bottle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Paul Park 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16.81g 13.31g = 3.50g 15.42g 10.72g = 4.70g 15.67g 11.03g = 4.64g 15.81g 12.11g = 3.70g 15.84g 12.64g = 3.20g 16.12g 12.98g = 3.14g 17.02g 13.21g = 3.81g 16.97g 13.41g = 3.56g 15.71g 12.31g = 3.40g 15.17g 11.42g = 3.75g 14.96g 10.98g = 3.98g 14.81g 11.01g = 3.80g 15.12g 12.33g = 2.79g 15.50g 12.51g = 2.99g 14.94g 11.76g = 3.18g 15.32g 12.43g = 2.89g 15.01g 11.21g = 3.80g 13.27g 10.34g = 2.93g 17.73g 13.99g = 3.74g 15.06g 10.79g = 4.27g 14.33g 11.59g = 2.74g 13.86g 10.46g = 3.40g 14.39g 10.96g = 3.43g 16.49g 13.42g = 3.07g 15.63g 11.49g = 4.14g 16.86g 12.39g = 4.47g 15.91g 12.43g = 3.48g 15.75g 12.79g = 2.96g 16.57g 12.81g = 3.76g 17.27g 13.53g = 3.74g 15.60g 11.48g = 4.12g 14.52g 10.47g = 4.05g 15.23g 11.80g = 3.43g 18.31g 13.96g = 4.35g

With the data, I can now conduct a test of significance. Let p be the population mean concentration level of CO2 in plastic-bottled coke, and

g be the population mean concentration level of CO2 in glass-bottled coke.

Ho:

=
p

(there is no difference in the concentration levels of CO2 between

plastic-bottled coke and glass-bottled coke) Ha:

(there is a difference in the concentration levels of CO2 between

plastic-bottled coke and glass-bottled coke) This calls for a two-sample t-test for true difference of means. This procedure requires the following: a) Each sample is randomly obtained and independent from the other sample. b) Each population variable has a normal distribution.

Paul Park I have obtained the samples randomly as described in the preamble. I have taken cluster samples, after which a box of coke was chosen randomly (SRS) for each cluster sample. Therefore, each sample is randomly obtained. There is no evidence of pairing (Glass-bottled cokes cant be paired with plastic-bottled cokes), so the samples are independent.

I do not know if each population variable is normally distributed, so I will have to look at the sample distributions.

Paul Park

The sample distribution of plastic-bottled coke has no strong skew, but the sample distribution of glass-bottled coke seems to be strongly skew left. There are no outliers in both distributions. Fortunately, with a combined sample size of 48, the robust nature of the t procedures should allow me to continue with these sample distributions. The requirements are met. I can continue. I will choose a level of significance of 5% as I have stated in the preamble. Summary Statistics Sample Mean ( X ) Standard Deviation ( S ) Plastic-Bottled Coke 3.697 0.526 Glass-Bottled Coke 3.689 0.489

t=

Xp Xg Sp Sg + np ng
2 2

3.697 3.689 0.526 0.489 + 24 24

2 2

= 0.0568

With df 45.763,

Paul Park

2 P( Xp Xg > .00833) = 2 P(t > .0568) = .9549

Conclusions and Analysis If there is no difference in the concentration levels of CO2 between plastic-bottled coke and glass-bottled coke, then I can expect to find a difference in carbon dioxide levels of at least .00833 grams in about 95.49% of samples. This occurs often enough to attribute to chance at the 5% level; it is not significant. I fail to reject the null hypothesis. There is no evidence that the level of CO2 in plastic-bottled cokes differs significantly from the level of CO2 in glass-bottled cokes. I did not encounter any problem that I could not handle while conducting this study. If I were to do this again, however, I would make sure I gather my samples from all the Wal-Marts and Sams Clubs in Columbia. Wal-Mart and Sams Club on Harbison may possibly not represent the populations in question well by themselves. Also, I would let the balloon capture as much CO2 as it can from the bottle of coke instead of limiting the capture time to one minute. It is possible that equal amounts of CO2 are being diffused through the neck of the bottle for both types of bottles. By lifting the oneminute capture time restriction, I may be able to capture the level of the entire CO2 in the bottle and thus have data that represent the population well (and possibly better than the data I obtained already). This concludes this observational study. The question has been successfully answered.