Science Online Lesson: 14th January 2011

Task One:

1. Choose an element and research the following information about it:

o When it was discovered
o by whom it was discovered
o how it is found in nature
o its properties and uses.

ELEMENT CHOSEN:

Helium

WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED:

Helium was discovered in 1868 in the sun but it was only officially found on Earth in
the year 1895.

WHOM WAS IT DISCOVERED BY:

Helium was first discovered in the year 1868 when the French astronomer, Pierre-
Jules-Cesar Janssen, spotted a yellow line in the sun’s spectrum during a solar
eclipse. Another English astronomer, Sir Norman Lockyer, realised that the
wavelength of the spotted yellow line was 587.49 nanometers, and could not be
produced by any known element during that time. Therefore he concluded that a
new element in the sun caused such a yellow line to be formed in the sun. That
started a hunt for the new element which Sir Norman Lockyer called Helium. The
hunt finally ended in 1895 when a Scottish scientist found traces of helium in one of
his experiments.

HOW IS IT FOUND IN NATURE:

Helium makes up 0.0005% of the Earth’s atmosphere and this small amount of
Helium is constantly lost to space as it is not pulled down to Earth by gravity.
However a form of radioactive decay called Alpha Decay produces alpha particles
which can turn into Helium particles when it connects with 2 other particles in the
surroundings. Helium is most often found and commercially recovered in Texas,
Oklahoma and Kansas.

PROPERTIES AND USES:

Atomic Number: 2

Atomic Weight: 4.002602

Melting Point: 0.95 K (-272.2°C or -458.0°F)

Boiling Point: 4.22 K (-268.93°C or -452.07°F)

Density: 0.0001785 grams per cubic centimeter

Phase at Room Temperature: Gas

Element Classification: Non-metal

Period Number: 1    Group Number: 18    Group Name: Noble Gas

Helium is usually used to inflate blimps and balloons. They are also used during
scientific research, such as in supersonic wind tunnels and to pressurize the
fuel tanks of liquid fuelled rockets. To make it safe for deep see diving, helium
is also often mixed with oxygen to create a nitrogen-free atmosphere for
divers.

Task Two:

2. It is said that the stars are the ‘element factories of the universe’, that is,
stars make the elements. Do some research and find out how the stars
make elements.

Almost all the elements that we know come from stars, or more specifically the
interiors of these stars. At first when the universe was first formed, the only
main elements present were Helium and Hydrogen. Stars made of Helium and
Hydrogen would contain tremendous amount of heat and pressure inside
them. This forces together new combinations of electrons and elements. When
a supernova happens and the stars explode, the pressure from the blast would
cause the elements within the star to spread among the cosmos and space.

Task Three:

3. Scientists have created all the elements beyond element 92. Find out
how they have been made.

The elements beyond 92 are called Transuranium Elements. All these elements
are synthetic and were created in laboratories. To create these elements,
scientists use nuclear reactors and particle accelerators to speed up the
protons within the element. When some protons are shot onto the nucleus of
an atom, they stick onto the nucleus and thus create a new Transuranium
element.