Forget helium. You can make your own floating balloons with stuff from your home (+ 6 experiments)

Balloons are versatile tools to use in science experiments. You can stick a pin through them, fill them with gases other than helium so they can fly and even use them to bend water. Balloons seem to be full of magical properties, but that's not the case. The material they're made from – rubber – makes them excellent experimental subjects.
The six science experiments that follow feature balloons. You too will be fascinated by all the interesting things a balloon can do.
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1. Flying balloons without helium
Whenever you get a balloon inflated in public, the store is most likely using helium. That's because it is a light gas and will allow the balloon to fly high at a birthday party or in a favorite restaurant. This experiment shows that you don’t always need helium to make as balloon fly. All it takes is four simple items and the technique from the experiment in the video below.
2. Skewer through a balloon
When you watch this video about a skewer through a balloon, you may feel like it is more magic than science. But there is actually no magic at all; it is all science. Once you learn the science behind this experiment, feel free to wow your friends with what they think is magical, and teach them some science afterward.
3. Fire and the water balloon
Do you believe that a balloon can withstand fire? Hypothesize what might happen to the balloon when water and fire are introduced and watch the video below to see if you were right.
4. Bending water experiment
As fun as some science experiments are, they are not fun just for it's own sake. They are designed to teach, and this experiment provides a lesson about static electricity. Follow the instructions in the video and create your own static electricity.
5. Water vs. soda
Water balloons are one of the best things about summer and warm weather, but what happens when you fill a balloon with carbonated soda? Watch the experiment below to find out exactly what happens.
6. Balloon-powered car
In these experiments, balloons have faced fire, had a skewer stuck through them and flown without helium. For this final experiment, a balloon will power a car. Even though it's just a cardboard car with plastic bottle cap wheels, the engineering is still innovative. Check out the video to see how a balloon can power a car.
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