GCSE CHEMISTRY - What are the Uses of Helium? - Baloons, Airships, Deep Sea Diving and Lasers

The Uses of Helium.

See also the uses of Neon - Argon - Krypton and Xenon.

What are the Uses of Helium?

1. Helium is used in balloons and airships (not hot air balloons!).
Helium is less dense than air (it makes the balloon float)
and it is safe to use since it will not burn (unlike hydrogen).

2. Helium mixed with oxygen is used by deep sea divers.
If normal air is used, the nitrogen in the air (78%)
will dissolve in the blood as the diver goes deep under
the sea because the water pressure increases.
As the diver comes back up to the surface, nitrogen
comes back out of the blood as tiny bubbles.
This is extremely painful (called 'the bends'). Helium will
not dissolve in the blood and so the problem is avoided.

3. Helium is used with neon in some lasers.
The common red laser used in supermarkets is helium-neon.

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