THE BEECHMONT CREST SCIENCE ZONE
LEARNING THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
Helium
Name origin: Greek helios = “sun”
Symbol: He
Atomic number: 2
Atomic weight: 4.0026
-After hydrogen, helium is the second most abundant element in the universe. Helium is far more common in outer space than it is in the earth’s atmosphere.
-Helium exists as an odorless, colorless gas. It is also inert.
-Helium is one of the noble gases. The noble gases are a group of elements on the right side of the periodic table that distinguished for their relative inactivity.
-Helium is the only gas that cannot be transformed into a solid at low temperatures. Under atmospheric pressure, helium will exist as a gas at absolute zero.
-Helium gas expands rapidly when heated. It has a high degree of “lifting power,” which makes it a common choice for industrial applications that require inflation.
