12 Fascinating Facts about Helium: Noble Gas Element Atomic Number 2

1 Named after the ancient Greek sun god, Helios, helium is the second most abundant element of the universe, taking up about 23% of all matter, although helium is not commonly found on earth. Helium is also one of three elements that was formed after the Big Bang, the other two being hydrogen and lithium.

2 Like hydrogen, helium is a colorless, odorless gas that is lighter than air and is therefore used to provide lift for airships and hot air balloons. Helium is so light, not even the earth’s gravity can prevent it from escaping into outer space. This is why helium balloons are often used by NASA to study cosmic rays.

Helium Balloons Rising Through
our Atmosphere

3 Helium Statistics

Atomic number: 2
Atomic weight: 4.002602

State: gas
Category: noble gas

Melting point: -272°C (-458°F)

Boiling point: -269°C (-452°F)

4 The production of helium is a result of the fusion of 2 hydrogen atoms within the sun’s core, the chief energy source of all the stars in our universe. The creation of helium through fusion describes the first step to creating all the other elements of the periodic table. The heavier elements are created further down the line, as the sun’ energy begins to run out. Examples of heavy elements are iron, lead and mercury.

5 Helium was first discovered 1868 by Jules Janssen, a French astronomer after perceiving a stripe of bright yellow light within the solar spectrum during a solar eclipse. But it was the British astronomer Norman Lockyer and chemist Edward Frankland that identified the cause of this bright yellow band to be helium.

6 The fluorescent purple glow of helium lamps is caused by an electric current tearing out the electrons from the helium atom. This ionizes the gas, permitting a pathway for the current and causing the gas to glow.

Helium: Definition of a Noble Gas

7 Helium’s tag of being a noble gas is attributed to being disinclined to bond with other elements. This is due to helium’s low reactivity. The outer shell is full of electrons, permitting little room to bond with others. In this way, helium is snooty, unsociable and is loathe to bond with foreign electrons.

Helium is a Noble Gas

Interesting Facts about Helium’ Supercooling Properties

8 Liquid helium is chiefly used in cryogenics, the supercooling of organic matter. It’s zero friction in liquid-form means that helium can get into the smallest of spaces with ease, ideal for intricate equipment.

9 Helium is also used to supercool magnets in MRI scans creating a strong magnetic field. This forces the isotopes within water to point the same way. Because solid matter remains unaffected by the magnets, the computer can differentiate between soft and hard tissue, creating the MRI image of the soft organs within the body.

10 NASA uses millions of cubic meters of supercooled helium to stabilize rocket fuel. This keeps this very combustible gas cool until the rocket is ready for launch.

More Curious Facts about Helium

11 The presence of helium on earth is due mostly to the radioactive decay of the elements thorium and uranium.

12 Inhaling helium will cause the voice to take on a Donald Duck timbre. In fact, the pitch of the voice stays the same. It is the accelerated speed at which the sound waves travel through helium that causes an amplification of the higher frequencies. Interestingly, heavier gases such as xenon will have the opposite effect, slowing the speed of sound, amplifying low sound frequencies. This will result in a tone more like Louis Armstrong.