Question about the helium shortage

[DuneFan]

When I was a freshman at ISU, taking chemistry 101, the instructor demonstrated the explosiveness of hydrogen by lighting a small hydrogen balloon. The resulting bang adequately demonstrated why hydrogen is not a particularly good substitute for helium in party balloons. I have long wondered, could a mix of the two (say, 60/40 helium to hydrogen) be used?

 

[VeloClone]

When I was a freshman at ISU, taking chemistry 101, the instructor demonstrated the explosiveness of hydrogen by lighting a small hydrogen balloon. The resulting bang adequately demonstrated why hydrogen is not a particularly good substitute for helium in party balloons. I have long wondered, could a mix of the two (say, 60/40 helium to hydrogen) be used?

I'm no chemist, but since helium is a noble gas and doesn't readily interact with other gases, I don't think it would change the reactiveness of hydrogen - except for decreasing the power of the boom.

 

[Mr Janny]

 

[enisthemenace]

I can’t be the only one who was waiting for him to burn the house down.

 

[Mr Janny]

I can’t be the only one who was waiting for him to burn the house down.

Yeah, he doesn't seem too bright

 

[NorthCyd]

When I was a freshman at ISU, taking chemistry 101, the instructor demonstrated the explosiveness of hydrogen by lighting a small hydrogen balloon. The resulting bang adequately demonstrated why hydrogen is not a particularly good substitute for helium in party balloons. I have long wondered, could a mix of the two (say, 60/40 helium to hydrogen) be used?

Are you sure the one with the bang wasnt an oxygen hydrogen mix balloon? I remember my chemistry professor showing hydrogen only and then a hydrogen oxygen mix. Hydrogen was kind of a quick flare up and the hydrogen oxygen mix blew the **** up.

 

[Die4Cy]

That might have been the worst "informative" YouTube video I've ever seen.

 

[brianhos]

When I was a freshman at ISU, taking chemistry 101, the instructor demonstrated the explosiveness of hydrogen by lighting a small hydrogen balloon. The resulting bang adequately demonstrated why hydrogen is not a particularly good substitute for helium in party balloons. I have long wondered, could a mix of the two (say, 60/40 helium to hydrogen) be used?

Helium will not bond with anything (which is why it is so important.) So you will just have a balloon of part explosive hydrogen and some helium.

 

[ArgentCy]

You actually have to mine Helium. Usually they have recovered it with natural gas deposits. The problem is that as soon as Helium is released in the atmosphere is it is light enough it escapes into space. This has been a known problem for a long time with no great solutions. Other than wasting it in balloons is not a great idea

 

[SpokaneCY]

Helium will not bond with anything (which is why it is so important.) So you will just have a balloon of part explosive hydrogen and some helium.

You will be able to yell "help me I'm burning" in a funny voice if something happened though.

 

[SpokaneCY]

You actually have to mine Helium. Usually they have recovered it with natural gas deposits. The problem is that as soon as Helium is released in the atmosphere is it is light enough it escapes into space. This has been a known problem for a long time with no great solutions. Other than waiting it in balloons is not a great idea

That's why the world floats! Sans helium, I shudder to think of our existence in this universe.

 

[Entropy]

Helium also plays a critical role in cooling down large magnets (MRI, NMR, particle accelerators) which is part of the reason why warmer super conductors are needed. I know most of the big research institutions have a helium scavenging process to minimize loss.

 

[Entropy]

Helium will not bond with anything (which is why it is so important.) So you will just have a balloon of part explosive hydrogen and some helium.

Pretty much this. It's hard to think about the trillions of atoms floating around and the probability of them running into each other. Even with a diluted hydrogen, it still has a pretty good chance to run into oxygen and reacting.

 

[flycy]

Like all things, I blame Nebraska and Nebraska alone.

 

[khardbored]

There goes my plan to bring back commercial dirigible travel . . .

 

[CascadeClone]

 

[TykeClone]

That doesn't seem to be a wise thing to do in an attic...

 

[Urbandale2013]

It blows my mind helium balloons still exist when there's such a finite supply of helium and how important it is to medical equipment. It's really quite absurd and a fine example human shortsightedness.

Do most people know helium is a finite resource. I didn’t. I tried to read up a little on it and it seems there are possibilities to create new helium. I’m ignorant on the issue though.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

Plus this was possible because of Helium...

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme...servation-made-possible-by-helium-hard-drives

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Do most people know helium is a finite resource. I didn’t. I tried to read up a little on it and it seems there are possibilities to create new helium. I’m ignorant on the issue though.

Husker fans will argue that wasting helium and polluting the surrounding areas with old balloons is tradition thus it must go on.