Why is Helium so difficult to synthesize?

Question

Why is Helium so difficult to synthesize?

In: 74

Answer 1

Helium synthesis cannot be done using chemistry, because helium is an element and not a chemical compound. Elements are defined by the number of protons in their nuclei, and you can’t modify an atomic nucleus without a nuclear reaction. You need some type of reactor that fuses hydrogen nuclei together to form helium, typically using an insanely strong magnetic field that consumes as much power as a small city—and the amount of helium synthesized is so small it’d be difficult to even measure, let alone put to practical use.