Sources for Fun Facts Calendar Project: Balloons

Balloon is a bag or envelope filled with heated air or a light gas, causing it to rise and float in the air.
CITATION: Lee, Russell. "Balloon." World Book Student. World Book, 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.

Why does a helium balloon appear to follow you as you move around? How does it stay up in the air? Helium balloons and how they work are the subject of this site from HowStuffWorks, beginning with a discussion of the basic concept of flotation, and moving on to helium flotation. An explanation of the technology behind hot air balloons is followed by a look at where helium comes from, and some links to related articles.
CITATION: How Helium Balloons Work. n.d. Web. 2 December 2015. http://science.howstuffworks.com/helium.htm/printable.

The first latex balloons were used by pressing the edges of two tacky round pieces of rubber together and using flour to keep them from sticking in the middle. A do-it-yourself kit for making balloons was available in 1825. Called Indian rubber, gum elastic, or caoutchouc; latex was the coagulated resin of certain tropical trees. It is a mixture of substances, but its chemical elements are hydrogen and carbon. It was soon used to make balloons in the shape of animals, erasers, and army targets.
CITATION: The History of Balloons - Rubber Balloon Evolution. n.d. Web. 2 December 2015. http://www.balloonhq.com/faq/history.html#rubber.