Answers.Body: <p>Pieces of lime are slightly denser than a mixture of water and alcohol, and so they will naturally sink at first. However, they also encourage carbon dioxide gas to come out of solution and form bubbles by making the liquid around the fruit more acidic (and thereby reduce the amount of dissolved CO<sub>2</sub> that it can hold). Unlike bubbles that form on the side of a glass and then detach, these bubbles will stick to the fruit and cause it to float to the surface. When sufficient bubbles have burst, the fruit sinks to the bottom again, and the cycle is repeated until no more CO<sub>2</sub> will come out of solution.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-30T16:22:01.000Z
Answers.Text: Thank your for your answer, I am nearly there, however what is a nucleation point?
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-30T16:26:36.867Z
Answers.Text: It's a piece of dust/dirt or a defect (e.g. scratch) on the wall of the glass. Anywhere that the glass is not perfectly smooth, dissolved gas will come out of solution and form bubbles (nucleate). I'm not sure why this happens, but I suspect that it's something to do with surface tension.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mick
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Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-31T03:40:50.140Z
Answers.Text: Ah well, I'll never confess to the dirt/dust, but will confess to maybe a scratch or two on the glass itself!  Thank you.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
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Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-30T15:16:08.490Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-03-30T16:43:36.647Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-03-30T16:43:36.647Z
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Body: <p>I was sitting watching my G&amp;T which had a slice of lime in it, when I noticed that the lime sank to the bottom of the glass, and then rose to the top again, it then continued to repeat this cycle for some time.  What is causing this behavior?</p>
  
Tags: <glassware><spirits><mixers>
Title: Why does my slice/wedge of lime go up and down in my glass of Gin and Tonic?
UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
ThreadText: # Why does my slice/wedge of lime go up and down in my glass of Gin and Tonic?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-30)
  
  I was sitting watching my G&T which had a slice of lime in it, when I noticed that the lime sank to the bottom of the glass, and then rose to the top again, it then continued to repeat this cycle for some time. What is causing this behavior?
  
  **Tags:** glassware, spirits, mixers
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-03-30. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  Pieces of lime are slightly denser than a mixture of water and alcohol, and so they will naturally sink at first. However, they also encourage carbon dioxide gas to come out of solution and form bubbles by making the liquid around the fruit more acidic (and thereby reduce the amount of dissolved CO2 that it can hold). Unlike bubbles that form on the side of a glass and then detach, these bubbles will stick to the fruit and cause it to float to the surface. When sufficient bubbles have burst, the fruit sinks to the bottom again, and the cycle is repeated until no more CO2 will come out of solution.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thank your for your answer, I am nearly there, however what is a nucleation point?  
  > **username_1**: It's a piece of dust/dirt or a defect (e.g. scratch) on the wall of the glass. Anywhere that the glass is not perfectly smooth, dissolved gas will come out of solution and form bubbles (nucleate). I'm not sure why this happens, but I suspect that it's something to do with surface tension.  
  > **username_0**: Ah well, I'll never confess to the dirt/dust, but will confess to maybe a scratch or two on the glass itself!  Thank you.  
  
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