Helium

Helium
source
Name	Helium
Atomic mass	4.002602
Appearance	colorless gas
Discovered by	Jules Janssen, Norman Lockyer
Named by	Norman Lockyer

Helium is a chemical element with the atomic number 2 and the atomic mass 4.002602, discovered by Jules Janssen and Norman Lockyer during the Solar eclipse of 1868, and named by Norman Lockyer after the Greek word for the Sun, as it was first detected in the spectrum of the Sun by Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer at the Meudon Observatory and the Kew Observatory. It is a noble gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and inert, and is the second most abundant element in the universe, after Hydrogen, making up about 24% of the mass of the universe, according to NASA and the European Space Agency. Helium is used in a variety of applications, including balloons, airships, and cryogenics, as well as in scientific research at institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the CERN.

Introduction

Helium is a unique element that has several distinct properties, including its low boiling point and high thermal conductivity, which make it useful for a variety of applications, including cryogenics and superconductivity research at institutions such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the Stanford University. It is also a key component in the production of semiconductors and fiber optics, and is used in the manufacturing of electronic devices at companies such as Intel, IBM, and Samsung. Helium is also used in medical imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, at hospitals such as the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The unique properties of helium have also made it a popular element for use in scientific research at institutions such as the Harvard University, the California Institute of Technology, and the University of Chicago.

Properties

The properties of helium make it a unique and useful element, with a low atomic mass and a high ionization energy, which make it difficult to ionize and react with other elements, according to research at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Helium is also a very light gas, with a density that is about one-seventh that of air, making it useful for lifting balloons and airships, such as the Hindenburg and the Goodyear blimp, which were designed and built by companies such as Zeppelin and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The low boiling point of helium also makes it useful for cryogenics and superconductivity research, where it is used to cool materials to very low temperatures, such as at the Large Hadron Collider and the Fermilab. The high thermal conductivity of helium also makes it useful for cooling electronic devices and superconducting materials, such as those used in particle accelerators at institutions such as the CERN and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Occurrence

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, after Hydrogen, and is found in small amounts in the atmosphere of the Earth, as well as in natural gas deposits, such as those found in the United States, Canada, and Australia, according to data from the United States Geological Survey and the Energy Information Administration. It is also found in small amounts in minerals such as uraninite and carnotite, which are mined by companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP. The majority of the world's helium is produced from natural gas deposits, particularly in the United States, Qatar, and Algeria, where it is extracted and processed by companies such as ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Chevron Corporation. Helium is also produced in smaller amounts from coal deposits and geothermal sources, such as those found in the United States, China, and Indonesia, according to research at the University of Texas at Austin and the Colorado School of Mines.

Production

The production of helium involves the extraction of natural gas from the ground, followed by the separation of the helium from the other gases present, such as methane and nitrogen, using techniques such as distillation and adsorption, as developed by companies such as Linde AG and Air Products and Chemicals. The helium is then purified and liquefied, using techniques such as cryogenic distillation and pressure swing adsorption, as used at facilities such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The majority of the world's helium is produced in the United States, Qatar, and Algeria, with smaller amounts produced in other countries, such as Canada, Australia, and China, according to data from the International Energy Agency and the World Bank. Companies such as ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Chevron Corporation are major producers of helium, and the element is also produced by smaller companies and research institutions, such as the University of California, Los Angeles and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Applications

Helium has a variety of applications, including balloons and airships, where its low density and high lift make it useful for lifting heavy loads, such as those used in aerial photography and surveillance, as developed by companies such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. It is also used in cryogenics and superconductivity research, where its low boiling point and high thermal conductivity make it useful for cooling materials to very low temperatures, such as at the Large Hadron Collider and the Fermilab. Helium is also used in medical imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, at hospitals such as the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Additionally, helium is used in welding and cutting applications, where its high ionization energy and low reactivity make it useful for shielding arc welds and plasma cuts, as developed by companies such as Lincoln Electric and Hypertherm.

History

The discovery of helium is attributed to Jules Janssen and Norman Lockyer, who first detected it in the spectrum of the Sun during the Solar eclipse of 1868, using spectroscopy techniques developed by Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen at the University of Heidelberg. The element was later isolated and characterized by William Ramsay and Morris Travers, who discovered it in cleveite and uraninite minerals, and named it after the Greek word for the Sun, as it was first detected in the spectrum of the Sun by Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer at the Meudon Observatory and the Kew Observatory. The first commercial production of helium began in the early 20th century, with the development of natural gas fields in the United States, and the element has since become an important component in a variety of industries, including aerospace, energy, and medicine, with research and development ongoing at institutions such as the NASA, the European Space Agency, and the National Institutes of Health. Category:Chemical elements