What are the characteristics of helium?

Helium is a colourless, odourless, insipid and non-toxic gas. It’s less soluble in water than any other gas. It’s the less reactive element and doesn’t essentially form chemical compounds. The density and viscosity of helium vapour are very low. The thermic conductivity and the caloric content are exceptionally high.

What is the atomic state of helium?

Helium is a colorless and odorless gas. It has the lowest melting point among all elements. Its boiling point is close to absolute zero. Helium is hardly soluble in water and is in fact, the least soluble monoatomic gas. Helium is present in plasma state on Earth. The atomic state of helium is predominant in the outer earth and space.

Where does helium come from?

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but here on earth, it's rather rare. Most people guess that we extract helium from the air, but actually we dig it out of the ground. Helium can be found in certain parts of the world, notably in Texas, as a minor component in some sources of natural gas.

What is the atmospheric content of helium on the Earth?

The atmospheric content of helium on the Earth is only 5.2 ppm . There is a continuous production of helium on the Earth (via radioactive decay), but it readily escapes the Earth’s atmosphere and enter the space. Helium is the most abundant gas in the Earth’s heterosphere (the layer of atmosphere around 80km above Earth).