Definition of helium Helium

/hiˈliʌm/ - [heeleeum] - he•li•um

We found 8 definitions of helium from 7 different sources.

What does helium mean?

Noun Plural: heliums
helium - a very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; the most difficult gas to liquefy; occurs in economically extractable amounts in certain natural gases (as those found in Texas and Kansas)
		He, atomic number 2
		chemical element, element the most favorable environment for a plant or animal; "water is the element of fishes"

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helium (Noun)
A colorless and inert gas, and the second lightest chemical element symbol He with an atomic number of 2 and atomic weight of 4. 002602.
helium (Noun)
A form or sample of the element.

helium (n.)
A gaseous element found in the atmospheres of the sun and earth and in some rare minerals.

helium
A colorless, odorless, tasteless, nearly inert noble gas with the symbol He and atomic number 2. It is after hydrogen the second most abundant element in the universe. It is a component of air and is being used for balloon and airship fillings, as well as for deep-sea breathing systems in combination with oxygen.

helium
hē′li-um, n. a substance discovered by Lockyer in the sun's atmosphere, found by Ramsay in the rare Norwegian mineral cleveite

Helium is a chemical element. It has the chemical symbol He and atomic number 2.

Helium is called a noble gas, because it does not regularly mix with other chemicals and form new compounds. It has the lowest boiling point of all the elements. It is the second most common element in the universe, after hydrogen, and has no color or smell. Helium does not usually react with anything else. However, it can react with tungsten, iodine, fluorine, sulfur and phosphorus under very special conditions.

Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer found helium in 1868. They found that it was in the Sun before it was found on Earth. Because of where it was found, its name comes from the Greek word for Sun, "helios".

It is used to fill balloons and airships because it is lighter than air, and does not burn or react, meaning it is normally safe for using it in that way. It is also used in some kinds of light bulbs. People also breathe it in to make their voices sound higher than they normally do as a joke, but this is extremely dangerous if they breath in too much, since it can kill them, since they are not breathing normal air. Breathing too much helium can also cause long-term effects to vocal cords.