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Helium, but there are more limited supplies of it. At the time of the Hindenburg, the US was the sole source with all of it coming from Texas oil fields mixed in with the natural gas. It was there because of the combination of deep Uranium Ore deposits and Salt Domes, Uranium decay alphas captured electrons becoming Helium then got caught in the salt domes with the natural gas on top of the oil. The US refused to sell Helium, a strategic resource to Nazi Germany.
Helium is a Nobel Gas thus inert, Hydrogen ignites and burns easily.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agobecause hydrogen is flammable. in fact, forget that, its down right explosive.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoBecause helium is an inert gas and won't burn (unlike hydrogen). See: Hindenburg.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoThe reason why helium is used instead of hydrogen in airships is that it's also light in weight, and the reason why hydrogen is replaced is because of its reaction with oxygen.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoHydrogen is highly flammable, while helium is inert - it doesn't burn or react much.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoBecause helium is not flammable or explosive it is more sure.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoHydrogen is explosive, helium not.
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How to Use valence electron configuration to explain why helium is safer than hydrogen for use in airships?
Helium had valence electron of 2 and filled the most inner ring so it is chemically robust and inert. Outer valence electron ring contain 8 electrons so for Neon is robust as it had 2,8 electrons and Argon had 2,8,8 electrons and fill the outer ring.
Why is helium gas safer than hydrogen gas?
Because hydrogen is reactive and combines with oxygen, while helium is inert.
What other properties of helium makes it good for filling 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).
Why helium gas is used in balloons and air ships instead of hydrogen?
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.study island cheaters.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 heliumHydrogen 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.
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).
Why airships today safer than in the past?
because hydrogen used to be in those airships and since hydrogen is flammable it was very dangerous
Why are airships safer than today they were in the past?
Modern airships use Helium for lift which is non-combustible whereas in the past airships such as the Hindenburg used Hydrogen for lift which is highly combustible. In addition, modern airships take advantage of new alloys and polymers which give them a much stronger airframe.
Helium safer than hydrogen?
Yes, because helium doesn't react, burn or explode.
How to Use valence electron configuration to explain why helium is safer than hydrogen for use in airships?
Helium had valence electron of 2 and filled the most inner ring so it is chemically robust and inert. Outer valence electron ring contain 8 electrons so for Neon is robust as it had 2,8 electrons and Argon had 2,8,8 electrons and fill the outer ring.
Is helium lighter or heavier than hydrogen?
Heavier but safer. Look what happened to the Hindenburg:(
Why does an airship float in air?
An airship uses helium which weighs less than air, and it cancels out the weight of the airship. Hydrogen weighs even less than helium, but it is combustible, so helium is preferred for use in airships.
Why is helium gas safer than hydrogen gas?
Because hydrogen is reactive and combines with oxygen, while helium is inert.
What other properties of helium makes it good for filling 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).
Is hydrogen used in airships?
Yes. Hydrogen was the material originally used to produce lift in airships. Hydrogen (H2, also called dihydrogen) is cheap and easy to produce, as it can be created through the electrolysis of water. Hydrogen is also the lightest element in existence, and since airships attained lift using lighter-than-air materials, this was a valued trait. However, hydrogen is highly flammable in the presence of oxygen; even explosive! So a lot of effort went in to preventing ignition of the hydrogen. Passengers were searched before boarding an airship to ensure sure they had no matches or lighters in their possession. Smoking was prohibited while aboard the ship, except in one specially designed compartment, which contained one lighter. Hydrogen was the main source of lift for the majority of airships in Europe from the late nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. However, in the United States of America, a natural source of the lighter-than-air gas helium was discovered. Though heavier than hydrogen, helium was favored for safety purposes, as unlike hydrogen, helium is nonflammable. However, helium was far rarer and more valuable than hydrogen, as it could not be as easily produced. As the United States of America had a monopoly on helium at the time, it had to be imported by the European countries which used airships. Most notably by Germany, with its famous Zeppelins. But shortly after Hitler became the Fuhrer of Germany, America began to enforce a trade embargo of helium exports against Germany. Because of this, Germany could no longer use helium in their airships, and were forced to resort back to hydrogen. During this time, the Hindenburg, the largest airship ever constructed, was the pride of Germany. The Hindenburg was constructed to be flown using helium, believing the ban on helium exports would be lifted; but it was not. As such, the Hindenburg was forced to fly using hydrogen. As it was landing in New Jersey, the hydrogen ignited, and the ship crashed. It became one of the most famous airship disasters in history. The use of airships did not directly stop after the Hindenburg, however. But the majority of newly constructed airships were helium lifted. The majority of these helium airships were constructed in the United States of America, and were known as blimps. Blimps are still used to this day; however, they are smaller than their Zeppelin counterparts, and seldom used as a means of transportation. To conclude the answer to your question; hydrogen was used in airships, but due to the dangers, it is almost never used now.
Why helium gas is used in balloons and air ships instead of hydrogen?
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.study island cheaters.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 heliumHydrogen 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.
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).
Is it helium in happy birthday balloons?
Yes, party balloons that float are filled with helium. Helium is used because it is lighter than air, causing the balloon to float upwards, but safer than the alternative hydrogen, which is explosive.
