OK - I've never been much of a chemist - only continued with physics and bio at school, and now am heading geology-way at uni, and with the excitement of geochemistry, I'm starting to become a little more interested in these things called elements!!
So, I'm figuring Helium makes balloons float cause it's got such a low atomic mass, right? So is lighter than air? But Hydrogen is the lightest element isn't it, and pretty abundant - so what are the advantages of using Helium rather than Hydrogen?
2006-11-22 16:48:21 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Sweet! Got that! Thanks SO much for your answers guys! You would have thought I'd never heard of the word 'Noble Gas'! LOL. I never really considered the flammibility problem, but yes, I can see that now...! Really gotta brush up on this chem stuff.
It won't let me choose a best answer yet, but I think we'll go with Jim - he provided all the info I needed, so we may as well go with 'first in first served'! But thanks to ALL who answered, and thanks for calling me cute Nagraj... ;)
2006-11-22 17:07:36 · update #1
LMAO and just saw your answer Bob... thanks for making me smile! :) OK, I'm off to the supermarket to get some wine, us geologists have a reputation to keep up! Nite all!
2006-11-22 17:09:42 · update #2
Hydrogen is extremely flammable, helium is entirely inert.
Google for "Hindenburg". No one know for sure why it caught fire, but once it did the results were spectacular (in a bad way).
The US controlled most of the world supply of helium and wasn't letting Germany have any of it, so they were forced to use hydrogen.
And yes, you're right, both of those gases are lighter than air due to their low atomic weight.
2006-11-22 16:50:15 · answer #1 · answered by Jim S 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Helium In Balloons
2016-11-14 00:38:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The advantages of using Helium instead of Hydrogen are SAFETY, SAFE TO USE and did I say SAFETY!. Even though both Hydrogen and Helium are lighter than air, that is, the respective densities of He and H2 are lighter than air, Hydrogen is very reactive to OXYGEN which is present in air and the atmosphere. Just a tiny spark, like from an electric static is enough to create a catastrophic, heat generating explosion by the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. That is why hydrogen is a flammable gas. On the other hand, He is an inert, noble gas element. It does not react with oxygen under the same conditions when hydrogen reacts with oxygen.
What good is hydrogen, relatively cheap and abundant but causes the loss of lives? Helium is a better option to make things float safely.
2006-11-22 17:14:22 · answer #3 · answered by Aldo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Why is Helium used in Balloons?
OK - I've never been much of a chemist - only continued with physics and bio at school, and now am heading geology-way at uni, and with the excitement of geochemistry, I'm starting to become a little more interested in these things called elements!!
So, I'm figuring Helium makes...
2015-08-19 04:08:28 · answer #4 · answered by Jacklyn 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Helium is lighter than air. Hydrogen is earier to get but explosive. See the Hindenburg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg
The Hindenburg was originally intended to be filled with helium, but a United States military embargo on helium led the Germans to modify the design of the ship to use flammable hydrogen as the lift gas.[1] This also gave the craft approximately 8% higher lifting capacity.
it was the largest aircraft ever built. In its second year of service it was destroyed by a fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey on May 6, 1937. A total of 36 people (about one third of those on board) perished in the accident, which was widely reported by film, photographic, and radio media.
2006-11-22 16:56:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
1) Helium is lighter than air
2) Hydrogen is lighter than helium. correct again. Helium is inert, meaning stable ,while hydrogen is(forgot the term) explosive Thus, if they used hydrogen in balloons, a lot of Wal Marts would blow up.
HHHhhmmMM. Maybe hydrogen is not such a bad idea. It would require a few suicide bombers to work . . .
2006-11-22 17:02:05 · answer #6 · answered by bob h 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Helium is the second most abundance element in the universe It means it is the second lightest element in the universe. The helium has negligible mass then that of air that's why the ballon is filled with helium and supported to air on the air. And also helium is the first inert gas in the universe go that do not take part in any chemical or physical reaction.
2014-08-24 05:20:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hydrogen is highly inflammable and pretty hazardous to use. Helium on the other hand, is safer, doesn't ignite at high temperatures and pressure easily.
That's why.
By the way, you're cute!
2006-11-22 16:50:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
most of these answers are stupid yes helium is used in a hot air balloon -_-
2016-03-17 02:21:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hydrogen is extremely flammable!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen. Helium is inert, so less chance of explosion. Google Hindenburg Disaster and you'll see what I mean!
2006-11-22 16:53:18 · answer #10 · answered by candy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋