How to inflate balloons with helium at home

Preparation for the holiday should be thorough, especially for activities for children. Boys and girls come to an indescribable delight when helium balloons are directed upward. Such festive attributes give the atmosphere a special atmosphere, but it is not always possible to assemble a composition of balloons from professionals. In case of emergency, you have to look for alternative ways at home.

Table salt and blue vitriol

Prepare cool filtered water, food foil, a glass bottle, salt and copper sulphate in advance. Wear rubber gloves, a robe with a throat, and protective goggles to prevent skin damage.

1. Expand the sheet of foil and cut the plate with the size of 18 * 18 cm in thin lines of about 0.5 cm, then send the strips into a liter glass bottle.Next fall asleep 75 gr. copper sulphate and 85 g. ground salt. Immediately cover the neck with your hand so that the reaction does not start due to oxygen tolerance.
2. At this stage, you need the help of a friend, because the procedure must be carried out quickly. Fill the bottle with 430 ml. filtered water, quickly put a bead on the neck and hold it at the base. Consider, the reaction will begin instantly, you will know about it as the mixture, it will go into the gaseous phase.
3. Try not to let out the mixture “for nothing”, one such composition will be enough for several balls. On average, one ball will inflate for about 4 seconds, so do not hesitate.

Important!
Keep your face away from the bottle with the mixture to avoid damage to the skin and eye mucosa. If the ball bursts or breaks off the neck, you may suffer a lot. Keep the vessel at arm's length.

When the chemical reaction starts, the bottle will become hot in a short time. To avoid burns, you can dip it in cool water or clamp it with an unnecessary cloth / towel.

Sodium hydroxide

Alkaline solution is dangerous for the skin, so be sure to wear gloves, gown, goggles.Sodium hydroxide is a mixture of caustic soda and concentrated (caustic) sodium, which in itself is unsafe. Carry out the procedure away from children and pets, be sure to ventilate the room before and after inflating the balls.

Prepare warm filtered water, sodium hydroxide (alkali), industrial or hookah foil, liter glass bottle.

1. Type in a bottle of 450 ml. clean warm water.
2. Take one plate of foil size 20 * 20 cm. Divide it into thin lines or chop into very small pieces, add to the tank with water.
3. Measure out exactly 20 grams. sodium hydroxide and gently pour it into the bottle, be sure to do it with gloves.
4. Tighten the base of the ball to the neck of the vessel, hold well so that the ball does not fall off.
5. Shake the container, the foil should be completely immersed in the composition.
6. You will see that the balloon will begin to inflate, do not try to get too much helium at a time, rather stretch the composition in several steps.

A solution of vinegar and baking soda

This technique is considered the safest because it does not include alkali or other industrial concentrates.However, the precautionary technique must be observed. Always use silicone or rubber gloves, wear glasses, a bathrobe.

Prepare a solution of vinegar (regular table vinegar), its concentration should not exceed the mark of 9%. Make sure baking soda is on hand.

1. The peculiarity of the method is such that the composition is filled up not only in the bottle, but also in the ball. Pour into a vessel 45-55 ml. vinegar solution, put 30 grams in a ball. baking soda, then put it on the bottom of the container.
2. Gently flip the ball over so that the soda is poured into vinegar. The reaction will occur instantly: the tank will become warm, and the ball will begin to inflate.
3. To fill the next balls, clear the cavity of the bottle from the previous composition, wipe dry and repeat the manipulations. Capacity must be dry, otherwise moisture will suppress the reaction.

Electrodes and battery

To prepare the composition, you will need to acquire a 12-watt battery, electrolyte (sulfuric acid or potassium hydroxide will do), graphite electrodes (not copper!). In addition to the main components, take care of the presence of two liter bottles of plastic, a plastic laundry basin and clean filtered water.As in all previous methods, protect the skin and eyes (wear a robe, gloves, glasses).

1. Take a 15-liter basin, fill it in half with clean water.
2. Pour potassium hydroxide / sulfuric acid (electrolyte) into the first liter bottle, receding 3-4 cm from the edge of the neck.
3. Take the ball and put the base on the opening of the vessel, then make small holes in the bottom of the container and insert the electrode. Observe tightness, the holes should not be wide so that the device fits tightly into the vessel.
4. Do the same with the second bottle, following the sequence. When everything is ready, go to the next step.
5. Place both bottles in the basin, place the battery next to it and connect the electrodes to it, observing the polarity (plus “+”, minus “-”).
6. Connect the battery to the power source, watch the start of the reaction.

An important feature of this method is that only one ball on the side with negative polarity (it will be filled with hydrogen) will be able to rise to the top. The second ball will be saturated with oxygen, so there is little sense from it.

In advance, make sure that the necessary materials and tools are at hand, follow safety precautions.Complex methods using electrodes and a battery, as well as sodium hydroxide, should be trusted to a man. Women will be able to translate into reality the preparation of the composition of soda and vinegar, salt and copper sulfate.

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