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Hydrogen combines with oxygen with explosive force in the presence of a spark. Helium is an inert gas that will not burn or explode, so is much safer to use in balloons and air ships instead of hydrogen.

The Hindenburg incident is a good example of why not to use hydrogen in a balloon. In the related links box below I posted an article on it.
Helium is more chemically stable than hydrogen and will not burn.

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Hydrogen burns very easily and helium doesn't. Because hydrogen is extremely flammable or explosive, it is extremely dangerous to use it in this application. That's why we see helium, and inert gas, used in these lighter than air craft.
Because hydrogen is flamable and helium isnt. The airships need a fuel that isnt flamable because if there is a fire, the fuel with explode and cause a huge explosion that will put many peoples safety at risk. Therefore, the clearly safer option is helium
Hydrogen is highly combustible and is more reactive compared to helium, as helium is an inert gas.
I prefer hydrogen, it is cheaper and reactive. However Helium is often used because it is inert and doesn't burn.

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What chemical property of helium makes it a better choice than hydrogen for use in airships?

It's very light (only hydrogen gas is less dense than helium), it's relatively cheap, and (most importantly) it's not flammable (hydrogen gas is--the Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen gas).


Helium is used to fill airships and balloons because?

So the blimp will stay aloft/still adn will float.


How do salt water toilets work on boats and ships?

Salt water toilets on boats and ships use seawater to flush waste instead of fresh water. The seawater is pumped into the toilet bowl to flush away waste, which then gets discharged overboard. This system helps conserve fresh water on the vessel.


What is a historical use of oxygen?

It is used in lighter than air ships, fuel cells, fuel when used with an oxidizer, and as an ingredient of fertilizer. Hydrogen gas was used as a gas that is lighter than air. The famous Hindenburg zeppelin was filled with hydrogen gas to keep it aloft, and met with disastrous consequences when the gas exploded. See the link listed to the left of this answer for more about the Hindenburg. Now most blimps are filled with helium instead, which is also lighter than air, but is not flammable. When hydrogen gas is burned, it forms pure water: 2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O It could have also been burned as a source of heat, but this did not happen on a large scale as coal, wood, oil, natural gas, and other materials also burn well and are much more readily obtainable. Hydrogen gas is not found naturally on Earth in any significant quantity. Water has 2 atoms of Hydrogen in every molecule so there is a huge amount available. Unfortunately, right now, it is not economical to retrieve it from water. More recently, we have discovered how to use hydrogen gas in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Here, H2 is combined with oxygen to produce electricity and water.


What sailing ships did trade winds use?

Trade winds were typically used by sailing ships such as the clipper ships, galleons, and merchant vessels. These ships relied on the steady and predictable trade winds to facilitate their voyages across oceans by harnessing the power of the wind to propel them forward.

Related Questions

Is helium only used in balloons and air ships?

Helium is the most used gas for balloons; sometimes hot air and rarely hydrogen.


What gas is used in balloons and air ships?

Helium


Which gas can be used in air ships and weather balloons?

helium


What are helium's practical uses?

Helium is lighter than air. So balloons or air ships filled with helium will float.


The early dirigibles air ships such as the Hindenberg were filled with hydrogen but this was later changed to helium Why were they originally filled with hydrogen and why was the change made?

Hydrogen was a highly flammable gas but as they became aware of it they filled the dirigibles with helium instead, which is a non-flammable gas.


What chemical property of helium makes it a better choice than hydrogen for use in airships?

It's very light (only hydrogen gas is less dense than helium), it's relatively cheap, and (most importantly) it's not flammable (hydrogen gas is--the Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen gas).


Helium is used to fill airships and balloons because?

So the blimp will stay aloft/still adn will float.


How balloons and blimps are able to fly in oceans of air?

Balloons float because of the same principal as how ships float: bouyancy. A ship displaces a volume of water. If the ship's weight is less than the volume of water that it displaces, then it will float. Same is true for a balloon. It displaces a volume of air. If the Hydrogen or Helium in the balloon weighs less than the volume of air it displaces, then it will rise.


What gas was used to fill the first air ships?

Hydrogen was first used but was generally replaced with helium because of it's flammability.


Is there helium on ships?

no


What are the similarities of a hot air balloon and an air ship?

Both hot air balloons and air ships are lighter-than-air aircraft that use gas to achieve flight. They both rely on the principle of buoyancy to stay aloft, with hot air balloons using heated air and air ships using lighter-than-air gases like helium or hydrogen. Additionally, both types of aircraft offer a unique and serene way to experience flight from a different perspective.


How does the property of fluids enable ships and balloons to float?

The property of fluids that enables ships and balloons to float is buoyancy. Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an object placed in the fluid. This force is greater than the weight of the object, causing it to float. Ships and balloons are designed to displace enough fluid to create a buoyant force that keeps them afloat.