Which gas did Jacques Charles discover could be used as the source of hot air for a hot air balloon's envelope?

1 Answer
Dec 15, 2016

Old Jacques Charles pioneered the use of hydrogen balloons..........

Explanation:

According to this site M. Charles used the action of sulfuric acid on iron filings to fill his bladders:

#Fe(s) + H_2SO_4(aq) rarr H_2(g) + FeSO_4(aq)#.

Charles was a contemporary of the Montgolfier brothers, who used the considerably safer hot air balloons. Why would hydrogen ballooning be inherently unsafe?