Helium: The Lightest Noble Gas
by Yuvi K - January 7, 2024
Helium: A Non-Reactive, Colorless, Odorless Gas
Helium (Helium) is the lightest noble gas. It’s also the second lightest element in the universe. It’s a non-reactive, colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally and can be artificially created in several ways. Helium is found in air as well as in certain natural gas fields. It’s used in a variety of industries, such as welding, space exploration, and medical technologies.
Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of Helium
Helium has an atomic number of 2 and a mass number of 4. Its chemical symbol is He. Like all gases, Helium is composed of individual atoms and molecules that are held together by forces such as van der Waal’s force. It’s also found in combination with other gases in air.
Helium is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is unreactive with the majority of other elements. It’s the only noble gas that can remain a liquid at normal pressure and temperature. It’s boiling and melting points are the lowest of all elements at minus 452.1 and minus 459.6 Fahrenheit respectively.
Formation of Helium
Helium is formed in various ways, including stars and supernovas. The majority of Earth’s helium is in a primordial state, meaning it was produced shortly after the Big Bang.
Helium can also be produced commercially through the fractional distillation of natural gas. This process takes advantage of the different boiling points and gravities of the different gases, allowing them to be separated for industrial use.
Uses of Helium
Helium is used in various industries, including welding, research and development, and space exploration. In welding, helium is most often used to provide an inert shield against oxidation, thereby increasing the life of the weld material. It’s also vital to the operation of manned space programs, as it lends buoyancy to spacecraft and seals off the environment from radiation.
In research and development, helium is used in the testing of engine components, fuel efficiency, and combustion of various materials. It’s also used in medical research where it helps to provide a safe environment for tests and treatments.
Helium as a Refrigerant
Helium also has a low boiling point and low heat transfer rate, making it ideal to use as a refrigerant. Low boiling point means that helium can remain liquid even at relatively high temperatures. Its low heat transfer rate allows it to cool quickly and maintain a fixed temperature when it is converted to gas.
Helium’s high thermal conductivity together with its low boiling point make it an ideal refrigerant for flow batteries and electric vehicles. Its low freezing point also makes it useful as an alternative to propane in cryogenic applications.
Conclusion
Helium is the lightest noble gas and second lightest element. It’s a colorless, odorless gas that is unreactive with the majority of other elements. It has a variety of uses in industry, including welding, research and development, space exploration, and medical research. It can also be used as a refrigerant in various applications. Get it right and you will have made a great contribution to the world.
