Helium is extremely rare on Earth; it is so light that it quickly escapes from the atmosphere to space. In fact, helium was first detected not on Earth, but in the Sun by using a spectrograph, a device which identifies chemicals by the colors of light they produce. The helium you can buy for balloons comes from underground. It is mixed in with deposits of natural gas (the stuff a gas stove burns), and is found in only a few places in the world. Gas companies separate the helium from the gas by distillation: when they cool the natural gas - helium mix, the natural gas becomes liquid, but the helium remains a gas. They then remove the helium gas and store it separately.
2007-01-18 09:08:58
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answer #1
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answered by anecentric 2
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Where Does Helium Come From
2016-09-28 12:51:11
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answer #2
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answered by calles 4
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On earth, most helium comes from radioactive decay of certain unstable nuclides (think isotopes) of certain radioactive elements. An alpha particle is a helium nucleus, and it easily attracts 2 electrons to form a helium atom.
In the sun, hydrogen nuclei undergo nuclear fusion to become deuterium nuclei plus a beta particle (electron) and a neutrino. Two deuterium nuclei can fuse to form the alpha particle as above.
2007-01-18 09:09:35
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answer #3
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answered by Johann Flargnik 3
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Its an element. This means it is found naturally
2007-01-18 09:07:11
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answer #4
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answered by ZZ 2
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Helia in the 3rd dimension. Or maybe it is natural occuring element.
2007-01-18 09:02:49
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answer #5
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answered by Frank R 7
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balloons
2007-01-18 09:28:34
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answer #6
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answered by velcroboy15 4
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