What is helium used for, besides filling party balloons?
Helium gas has many important uses. It is chemically inert and has an ultra-low temperature when compressed to a liquid. It is invaluable and irreplaceable in many cryogenic applications because there is no substitute for helium where temperatures less than –429 °F are required. Major uses in the United States include cryogenics, pressurizing and purging, welding, and controlled atmospheres. Leak detection and synthetic breathing mixtures are other uses. The major cryogenic use is in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instruments. Use as a lifting gas, including for party balloons, is minor.
