1. Helium has a near identical melting and boiling point, and the lowest of all the elements. It’s melting point is so close to absolute zero that nothing else is cold enough to freeze it, so scientists have to use specially built pressure chambers to solidify it.
2. It is stable with just two valence electrons as opposed to all other noble gases requiring eight electrons.
3. Near absolute zero, helium becomes a superfluid where it gains zero viscosity.
4. It has the highest thermal conductivity of any element which makes it an excellent coolant.
5. It is naturally non-toxic and the most chemically inert of all elements.
6. One of it’s only known ions, helium hydride, is the strongest acid ever observed.
What gives? Why is it such a wonder substance and why does it display such unique traits compared to other elements?
In: Chemistry
The innermost valence shell has two electrons, and the next two are eight, but the next two are eighteen and after that it increases to 32! That’s the nature of atoms – as atoms get larger, the shells get larger. So more electrons are required to fill them.
It has the 11th highest thermal conductivity according to [this table](https://periodictable.com/Properties/A/ThermalConductivity.v.html).
Superfluidity has been demonstrated or predicted in other elements and states, albeit [under very different conditions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfluidity).
Helium hydride is the strongest acid because helium desperately doesn’t want to have a proton; again, a function of its noble gas/full valence shell and how small it is – the electrons are held so tightly to the nucleus that it doesn’t want to react with anything.
Latest Answers