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What is Helium as on the Periodic Table? Definition of the Helium Element
A colorless, odorless inert gaseous element occurring in
natural gas and with radioactive ores. It is less soluble in
water than any other gas. It is used as a component
of artificial atmospheres and laser media, as a refrigerant, as a
lifting gas for balloons, and as a super fluid in cryogenic
research. Helium was the first gas used for filling balloons and
dirigibles. The Atomic Number of this element is 2 and the
Element Symbol is He.
What is Helium? Origin / Meaning of the name Helium
The name originates
from the Greek word 'helios' meaning sun because the element
was discovered by spectroscopy during a solar eclipse in the
sun's chromosphere by the French astronomer Pierre-Jules-Cesar
Janssen.
Facts about the
Discovery and
History of the Helium
Element
Helium was first detected
during a solar eclipse in 1868 as a bright yellow line in the
spectrum of the chromosphere of the Sun, by French astronomer
Pierre Janssen . It was discovered by Sir William Ramsey
in 1895. The English astronomer Norman Lockyer and the English chemist Edward Frankland named
the element.
Sir William Ramsay
(1852 - 1916)
Sir William Ramsay discovered the noble gases and received the
Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition of his services
in the discovery of the inert gaseous elements in air". These
elements included
Argon,
Neon, Krypton
and Xenon. Ramsay also
isolated helium which had been observed in the spectrum of the
sun but had not been found on earth. In 1910 Ramsay also made
and characterized radon.
Sir William Ramsay (1852 - 1916)
What is Helium? Occurrence of the Helium Element
Helium exists only as a monatomic gas
Abundances of the element in different environments
% in Universe 23%
% in Sun 23%
% in Meteorites N/A
% in Earth's Crust 5.5×10-7%
% in Oceans 7.2×10-10%
% in Humans N/A
Medical Uses of
Helium - Health and Treatments
Interesting information on the Medical Uses of Helium, Health and
Treatments. The main medical uses of helium are in respiratory
therapy and testing. It is also used in the prevention of
nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness. Helium-oxygen
therapy is the administration of a mixture of helium and oxygen.
Associated Uses of Helium
Component of artificial atmospheres and laser media
Refrigerant
Lifting gas for balloons
Superfluid in cryogenic research
Deep sea diving
Helium balloons, tanks, neon laser
People sometimes breathe in Helium as a joke to make their
voices sound higher than they normally do |
