Carbonation is the process of dissolving carbon dioxide gas into a liquid, which creates those fizzy bubbles you see and feel in soda, sparkling water, and champagne. When you open a bottle of soda and hear that satisfying hiss, you're releasing some of the pressurized carbon dioxide that was forced into the liquid during carbonation.

The bubbles in carbonated drinks create that sharp, tingling sensation on your tongue that makes drinks feel lively and refreshing. If you've ever left a soda can open overnight, you've watched carbonation escape as the drink goes “flat,” losing its fizz and tasting dull.

The word comes from carbon dioxide, the gas that creates the effect. Scientists sometimes use carbonation to refer to other chemical processes involving carbon, but when you hear someone say a drink is carbonated or talk about carbonation, they almost always mean those fizzy bubbles.