Helium gas was first used for filling balloons, but has since become vital in other applications, with worldwide production currently sitting at around 4,500 tons annually – a figure only set to rise.
Its properties are that of extremes; it is less soluble in water than any other gas, and possesses the lowest melting and boiling points of any element, making it the coldest element known to man.
Furthermore, though it occurs very infrequently in air, at approximately five parts per billion, it is the most abundant element in the universe, constituting 25% of the atmosphere.
Helium (He) also shares characteristics with its periodic group; namely its inertness, low melting and boiling points and non-toxic qualities. Similarly to xenon and krypton, it also benefits from extremely high thermal conductivity. However, unlike its sibling elements, most helium is obtained through natural gas in which it occurs at a frequency of 7%.
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