Kisic,+Jacquelyn

HELIUM

Boiling point: 4.22 K (-268.93°C or -452.07°F)

Melting point: 0.95 K (-272.2°C or -458.0°F)

Specific Gravity/Density: 0.0001785 grams per cubic centimeter

Number of protons, neutrons, electrons: 2 (protons & electrons) 2 (neutrons)

Atomic Mass: 4.002602

Atomic Number: 2

Electron Configuration and Orbital Notation:



Valence Electrons: 2

How, Who & When: Pierre Jules César Janssen, a French astronomer, noticed a yellow line in the sun's spectrum while studying a total solar eclipse in 1868. Sir Norman Lockyer, an English astronomer, realized that this line, with a wavelength of 587.49 nanometers, it could not be produced by any element that was known at the time. It was hypothesized that a new element on the sun was responsible for this mysterious yellow emission. This unknown element was named helium by Lockyer.

Where and How produced, processed, or mined: This trace of helium is not gravitationally bound to the earth and is constantly lost to space. The earth's atmosphere, helium is replaced by the decay of radioactive elements in the earth's crust. Alpha decay(one type of radioactive decay) produces particles called alpha particles. An alpha particle can become a helium atom once it captures two electrons from its surroundings. This newly formed helium can eventually work its way to the atmosphere through cracks in the crust.

Chemical & Physical Properties: Physical: Phase, Gas when cooled it condenses to liquid helium. Liquid helium is the only element that does not solidfy at normal pressure regardless of the temperature. Color, colorless. Odor, odorless. Compounds, Helium is completley inert. It does not form compounds or react with any other element. Chemical: Chemical formula, He. Reactivity with water, It is less soluble in water than any other gas. Toxicity, Non-Toxic. Flammabilty, Non Flammable. Minerals, Compounds, or Ores found: the shines black specks in granite are mica. Within mica are natural zircon crystals, only a few microns in size. Helium quickly diffuses out of zircon. Helium in granite is evidence that the earth is thousands of years old, not millions. Heliums compounds, halides, oxides, sulfides, hydrides, and complexes; lattice energies; and reduction potentials. Helium is a natural gas, so helium does not have any ores. Two common chemical reactions: Helium is the first of the noble gas group and reacts with nothing. Under highly unusual conditions, it can form some (unstable) compounds with for example, tungsten(W).

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Industrial or Commercial uses: Airgas is the United States' largest distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty and related equipment, safety supplies, welding supplies and MRO products and services to industrial and commercial markets. Helium is one of the most inert gases and lighter than air. It is the second most abundance element in the universe! It is used as a cooling media in nuclear reactions and other studies. It is also used as an inert atmosphere for crystal growing. It is used for filling up fluorescent lamps and as a leak detection fluid. Lastly, the most used for helium is filling up balloons and making your voice squeaky!

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Cost or Value: the price of crude helium set by the federal government has skyrocketed in the past three years, jumping from $64.75 to $84 per 1,000 cubic feet, as supplies of the element have tightened amid increasing demand, primarily in Asia. The price crunch could get much worse as the Bureau of Land Management--which supplies about 30% of the global supply of helium--prepares to shut down the federal helium reserve outside Amarillo, Texas.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[|Diagram of Bohr Model:]



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Picture of Element in pure state:

(Naturaly found on the sun) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(Helium as a Liquid)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">(Helium as a solid, scientist are now developing)

(Element as a solid) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Unusual Facts:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">1. In 1928 helium became available for the first time on the open market.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">2. At temperatures close to absolute zero, helium condenses to a liquid with amazing properties – the properties of a superfluid, flowing with zero friction up and over the walls of containers.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">3. Greek work for Helium is Helios which means the sun where it was first found.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">4. Helium makes up about 0.0005% of the earth's atmosphere. This trace amount of helium is not gravitationally bound to the earth and is constantly lost to space.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">5. Radioactive decay of uranium and thorium produces about 3000 metric tons of helium a year.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Visual appeal, graphics are used as needed and a message: