Years ago for a science class experiment we filled balloons with the gas from Alka Seltzer tablets mixed with some liquid, and then let the balloons float away. I'm pretty sure we mixed them with water in that experiment. I know that creates carbon dioxide, but will a balloon filled with Co2 float, or did we use something other than water, and create something other than Co2?
I guess a better way to state the question would be; Alka Seltzer mixed with what liquid will create a gas that is lighter than air and would make a balloon float?
2007-03-20 05:20:09 · 8 answers · asked by Jim C 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Alka Seltzer tabs are a compressed dry mix of sodium hydrogen carbonate and tartaric/citric acid.. Addition of water enables reaction between the two to produce sodiumtartrate/citrate and carbon dioxide which is heavier than air as you rightly point out. For the balloon to float you would have to have produced hydrogen ( Helium is totally absent from this reaction system) This is NOT possible by the addition of any other liquid. The balloons in your experiment were probably merely affected by air currents.
2007-03-20 05:24:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To float a balloon is necessary to fill it with Hydrogen or Helium, Alka Seltzer doesn't produce any of this gases when reacts with water or any other liquid since in its formulation doesn't exist any of these gases.
2007-03-20 05:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by mc23571 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you probably remember some other experiment. Hydrogen is lighter than air and fairly easy to produce from water especially with a science lab full of chemicals.
Sure the experiment wasn't using calcium?
2007-03-20 08:46:54 · answer #3 · answered by Poor one 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alka Seltzer contains baking soda, NaHCO3. with water they release CO2. (They also contain citric acid and asprin)
CO2 will not float away, maybe you just played a type of volley ball with them.
2007-03-20 05:25:20 · answer #4 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dont know................ but in youth group one time, we played a trust game, called "spew" where you put the alka seltzer in your mouth, and you take a big drink of sprite. and you stand face to face with a partner. and the first to spew, is not as trustworthy as the other.
it was fun.
2007-03-20 05:23:38 · answer #5 · answered by smcopeland16 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely, it was plain water - check the link below and scroll towards the bottom.
2007-03-20 05:23:41 · answer #6 · answered by HappilyEverAfter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will make a film canister explode out of a paper towel holder...
2007-03-20 05:23:53 · answer #7 · answered by Its me!!! :) 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why dont you try it ? =P
2007-03-20 05:22:40 · answer #8 · answered by * A-m-y . . 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋