3 ms·
>think that party of your not to mention party balloons ;)
by toxican 11y ago
>think that party of your
not to mention party balloons ;)
- dredmorbius 11y agoActually, no, not your party balloons. Most terrestrial helium is formed as nuclear decay products -- beta particle emission -- from heavier elements, mostly thorium and uranium. A beta particle is essentially a naked helium nucleus, so it picks up a couple of electrons from elsewhere. Because it's nonreactive (and so doesn't bind to form heavier liquid or solid compounds as oxygen and hydrogen do), and at ambient temperatures exceeds Earth's escape velocity in the atmosphere, free helium that might have occurred in the primordial Earth would long since have escaped into space. It's actually sourced as part of natural gas extraction. So: terrestrial helium's actually younger than Earth. Related: there are concerns that a hydrogen economy might increase the rate at which molecular hydrogen escapes into space as well. About 25% of Earth's original water supply is thought to have disappeared this way already. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium
- mikeash 11y agoMinor correction: alpha particles, not beta particles. Alpha particles are helium nuclei, while beta particles are just electrons.
- dredmorbius 11y agoThanks, apologies for that error.
- toxican 11y agoI don't think I've ever enjoyed being wrong so much haha. Thanks for the knowledge drop!
- dredmorbius 11y agoMy pleasure. The general topic (where and how minerals used on Earth come from) is an interesting one.