Helium is, to many people, that stuff that turns you into a chipmunk. It is hilarious sounding and it can be used for party tricks and the like – but helium is a serious element. It is a vital resource – we didn’t just start using helium to give people squeaky voices after all. What is it about helium, though, that makes it such a standout element? Here are some intriguing facts about helium to learn.
Helium is not exactly common
Despite the fact, you can buy helium for a few bucks online and in stores, you must assume it is extremely common. However, helium is not something that turns up regularly in our world. It is seen as the second rarest element of any on this planet. Only hydrogen is seen as rarer.
Helium is hilariously light
Another intriguing fact about helium is that it is very light – and we mean very. It is the second lightest of all of the elements on the table. Again, it is only bested by hydrogen in the weight stakes. This is why helium is used on things like balloons and blimps – it will not weigh anything down due to its incredibly small weight.
Helium was discovered in the sun
If you enjoy any kind of Greek mythology, then you have no doubt heard of Helios, the Greek God of the Sun. it was found in the sunlight, and researchers of the late 1860s found that they could not compare it to anything else. The name helium came from
Helios himself, and was given to the element as a nickname given its discovery through sunlight.
Once it was discovered on earth – which happened close to thirty years after its discovery – we were able to evaluate and learn more about helium. Up until that point, though, it was an element that we did not truly understand or appreciate.
Helium does not play nice with others
One thing to note about helium is that despite being a gas, it does not mix well with other elements. They are known as a ‘noble gas’ because they do not mix well with other gases. Helium does not react with any other element that you will find on the periodic table. Helium stands almost entirely on its own, then, which is very rare when we look at how elements fuse and combine.