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Why Is Helium Important?
Properties of helium that make it useful
Chemically inert and non-reactive
Small elemental size
Second lightest element; lighter than air
Liquid helium is coldest substance on earth
Unique Chemical/Physical
Property of Helium
Beneficial Use
Very low solubility
Highest ionization potential
Low liquefaction point
High specific heat and thermal conductivity
Premier carrier gas for analytical testing and protective gas for
controlled temperatures used in semiconductor manufacturing
Ideal for high-tech leak detection
Used in airships, balloons and military communications
and surveillance equipment
Keeps electrical coils in magnetic imaging machines (MRI)
cold and is used in special low-temperature scientific research
Used to replace nitrogen in diving gas tanks used by deep sea divers
Gas of choice for high-tech metal and plasma arc welding
Used in space launches, where gaseous helium is used to
pressurize and purge the flammable liquid hydrogen fuel
Gaseous cooling of fiber-optic cable and nuclear reactors
Fiber optics
Cutting and welding
Pressurizing
and purging
Medical imaging
(MRI)
Lifting
Electronics
Diving
