With a nuclear mass of just four – two protons and two neutrons – helium is a very stable element. However, this natural process takes thousands of years to generate quantities of helium that are worth extracting commercially. It is trapped in various minerals and collects in large naturally formed gas reservoirs from which it is mined, such as the National Helium Reserve in Texas. We call this decay of radioactive elements fission, since the element splits into new daughter components and energy is released.ĭecay of these radioactive elements replenish helium that is lost to the atmosphere. These particles are helium atoms stripped of their electrons, bare naked, energetic and highly charged.
Radioactive elements, such as uranium and thorium decay into smaller pieces or particles including very small alpha particles. Most of the helium reserves we have on Earth were formed in a different way to its origins in the Big Bang. (Image credit: Kim Christensen/Shutterstock)ĭespite this continuous loss of helium from Earth, reserves of helium have been fairly plentiful until recently. From left to right: helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon.
Tubes with inert gases emit a different color and intensity light when excited with high voltage.
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