Chemical Symbol: He

Description:
Helium is the lightest element after hydrogen, and represents only 5 ppm of the atmosphere. It is a nonflammable and nontoxic gas. Helium is inert to chemical reactions and radiations. Out of all inert gases, helium has the highest thermal conductivity. The gas is only slightly soluble in water.


Uses:
Helium is used for welding and as a lifting gas in balloons. It is also used as a coolant in nuclear reactors and for growing germanium and silicon crystals for transistors, as well as the production of some metals such as titanium and zirconium. Helium is also used for filling cold-water fluorescent lamps as well as laser and fiber optic production. When mixed with oxygen it can be used for diving and medical purposes. Liquid helium is used for cooling superconductive magnets.