Helium

Description

With the symbol He and atomic number 2, Helium is a chemical element which is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic gas, With the boiling point being the lowest among all the elements.
Being the second lightest and second most abundant element in the universe and due to the very high nuclear binding energy, its abundance is similar to both in the Sun and in Jupiter.

What is helium used for?

Helium is used for inflating blimps and balloons of several Kinds like research or celebrations. It is also consumed as an inert shield for arc welding, pressuring liquid-fueled rocket fuel tanks, and in supersonic wind tunnels.

5 INTERESTING USES OF HELIUM

1. Medical Applications: Helium gas can be used to treat conditions like asthma and emphysema. Liquid helium is used as a cooling medium for magnets and process use in MRI scanners and NMR spectrometers.

2. Car/Vehicles: It is used to detect leaks in car air-conditioning systems. It is also used to inflate airbags as helium can diffuse quicker than most gases.

3. Barcode Scanners: Supermarkets use helium for scanning barcodes at checkouts using helium-neon gas lasers because even at high temperatures, the gas will not bond or react with any other element.

4. Deep-Sea Diving: An artificial atmosphere is created using 20% oxygen and 80% helium to keep divers safe. In some dives, both nitrogen and oxygen can induce a state similar to drunkenness. Adding helium to the mix reduces this so divers can think more clearly. Using helium can also mean divers can take fewer stops on their return to the surface, without suffering decompression sickness.