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points by hansvm 3 days ago | 0 comments
I would've loved that as a kid. For that matter, I did actually fill some balloons with hydrogen using vinegar and something (might've cut some magnesium off one of those primitive fire starters, or I might've used a weaker metal, can't quite remember). I think I used the glass tube Costco used to use as a vanilla bean container to strap the balloon onto.
[–] garlic_enjoyer 3 days ago
Zinc and vinegar is what you're looking for. Our high school science class had us fill plastic pipette bulbs to make rockets.
[–] hansvm 3 days ago
Zinc would've worked too, I might have clipped the corner off some pennies or something. Magnesium works too though, and I definitely had access to magnesium. It was awhile ago though, so I'm not sure what I did.
[–] garlic_enjoyer 1 day ago
I didn't know magnesium worked too. Glad to have learned something!
[–] nine_k 3 days ago
My choice was copper sulfate + table salt + aluminum wire. Acids were hard to come by, but copper sulfate was easily available as a treatment for plants, and did not need such careful handling.