lemon juice (citric acid):
C6H8O7 + 3NaHCO3 <---> Na3C6H5O7 + 3H2CO3
The reaction produces carbonic acid (i.e. carbonated water) which then degrades into H2O+CO2
The reaction will be faster with vinegar (acetic acid). The gas produced is CO2, which will in theory inflate the balloon, but it will take a while.
CH3COOH + NaHCO3 ----> CO2 + H2O + CH3COONa
Also, the balloon will not float, since CO2 is heavier than air.
Now, if you want a fast reaction that will produce a floating balloon, try dropping aluminum foil in a strong lye solution. You will get hydrogen, which floats. Plus, if you strap a fuse on the side of the balloon, ignite it and let it fly, you will get a nice fireball in the sky! You will probably have to experiment a bit to get the right strength of lye to avoid overheating the reaction and producing hot steamy gas that swill shrink when it cools.
Need to find info about chemical reaction of lemon juice and baking soda. Doing experiment where gas produced will inflate balloon hopefully. Will outcome be a lot different than if I had used vinegar?
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