Helium is a really interesting element, and in fact has been discovered in the late 19th century and stands unique amongst elements because of its special properties. As is the case of many elements in the periodic table, it is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. The atomic number of Helium is two and as a result a Helium atom possesses two protons and hence two electrons.

One of the properties that Helium has is that it is incredibly light; it is second lightest element to Hydrogen, and thus less dense than air, this causes it to float, and thus is one of the chief gases used to fill balloons and airships, giving people a bit of whimsy and wonder. It also has an extremely low boiling point of just-268.9°C/-452°F, and hence is the prime element used for cryogenics. Because of its electronic structure, as can be observed by looking at a helium atom model, Helium is extremely unreactive and cannot form a chemical bond with any other elements, and hence is classed as one of the noble gases.

Additionally Helium has been fundamentally important to astronomers studying the stars; as they have a huge influence on stellar nucleosynthesis. As well as being the second most abundant element in the universe; second only to Hydrogen, it is produced during the course of stars life, and can even tell astronomers about the early conditions in the universe.

Overall; Helium is a bit more than a gas used to fill balloons; it is an incredible element that has been a major influence in a range of fields; and the fact that we have an interest in this particular element makes Helium all the more special and intriguing to the world.

Atomic structure of Helium

Atomic structure of Helium helps in providing a framework for understanding and analyzing Helium’s behavior. The structure has got key elements.The nucleus; located at the central part of the atom, this contains positively charged protons; two for Helium and usually two electrically neutral neutrons. Together these three (three for Helium) make up the mass of the Helium atom.

The electrons; Two negative charged particles found on the outside of the nucleus, this two electrons found orbit around the nucleus and are contained within energy levels. Electron configuration; This is often identified as 1s for Helium. In actual terms this shows that the first energy level (called 1s) has been filled by two electrons. Therefore both of these electrons exist on the same energy level, which is the outer and therefore most reactive one, which explains the fact that they are extremely unreactive.

Chemical inertness; Helium is a noble gas because of the electron configuration given above. Since the outer energy level of the atom is completely filled with two electrons it does not need or require electrons to join a compound in order to fill up the last vacant places. It makes it unable to bond with other elements.

Energy levels; Though Helium has only two electrons and just the 1s energy level can accommodate them, there are energy levels further out which will be filled in atoms containing higher numbers of electrons, and are relevant when considering more complex compounds.

Spectroscopy; Helium is quite significant in spectroscopy because when it is heated up or receives a dose of electricity it emits a unique spectrum in the visible range of lights. This makes it important for spectroscopy, and therefore also vital in identifying the compounds and element found on distant stars.