HYLIUM Meaning and
Definition
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Hylium (also spelled as helium or hélium) is a chemical element with the symbol He and atomic number 2. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that belongs to the noble gases group in the periodic table. Hylium is the second lightest and second most abundant element in the universe. It was first discovered in 1868 by French astronomer Pierre Janssen during a solar eclipse when he observed a yellow spectral line that was attributed to the presence of an unknown element. Later, Sir Norman Lockyer and Edward Frankland named this element as helium after the Greek word "helios," meaning the sun.
In its natural form, hylium exists as individual atoms, and it is chemically inert, meaning it does not react with other elements under normal conditions. It has the lowest boiling point among all elements, making it an excellent coolant for applications requiring low temperatures. Hylium is commonly used in cryogenic research, as well as in various industries like aerospace, healthcare, and electronics. It is employed to maintain superconducting temperatures, create low-temperature environments for scientific experiments, and as a tracer gas for leak detection.
Hylium is also utilized in mixture with oxygen for breathing purposes in deep-sea diving and aerospace activities due to its low solubility in body tissues and blood. Moreover, hylium serves as a lifting gas in balloons and airships due to its lower density compared to air, allowing the aircraft to ascend. Additionally, its unique properties assist in the production of lasers, in the welding process, and as a shielding gas in arc welding.
