Helium (from Latin Helium) He

As a non-reactive noble gas, it does not occur directly in minerals, but is found in uranium and thorium minerals as a product of radioactive decay. Alpha particles (helium nuclei) capture electrons when they are trapped by the surrounding rock, forming helium.

Colorless, odorless, non-flammable, it is a noble gas which means it is chemically passive under normal conditions. Helium remains in a gaseous state even at very low temperatures and pressures, making it the only gas that does not solidify or form a liquid. It occurs in very small amounts in the air.

No helium-containing compounds are known, although attempts are being made to produce helium difluoride (HeF2).

Helium can be obtained, for example, by fractional distillation of liquid air, a process based on differences in the boiling points of the various air components. The air cools until each component of the gas condenses and falls to the bottom of the collection vessel. The resulting gas is further purified from the residues of other gases.

Helium is used in the gas industry to fill balloons, which are used as decorative items, for example. In medicine, liquid helium is sometimes used for cooling during surgical procedures. The element is also used as a shielding gas in welding and as fuel in rockets and stratospheric balloons.

The largest producer of helium in the world is the United States. Other producers include Algeria, Australia Canada and China.

Helium has a very low density, making it lighter than air, so helium balloons float because helium replaces the heavier air. Helium, whose name comes from the Greek word meaning "Sun," was actually discovered in the Sun before it was discovered on Earth. Helium is the only element that cannot be frozen and solidified at very low temperatures.