Early airships were filled with hydrogen. After several airship fires, hydrogen was replaced by helium.
The table shows some information about these gases at room temperature and pressure.
| Gas | Density in g dm−3\mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}gdm−3 | Flammable |
|---|---|---|
| hydrogen | 0.083 | yes |
| helium | 0.167 | no |
| air | 1.20 | not applicable |
The mass that 1 dm3\mathrm{dm^{3}}dm3 of gas can lift is equal to the density of air minus the density of the gas. Calculate the mass that 1 dm3\mathrm{dm^{3}}dm3 of helium can lift.
A small airship holds 5 000 000 dm3\mathrm{dm^{3}}dm3 of helium. Calculate the total mass this helium can lift. Give your answer in kg.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using hydrogen and helium to fill an airship. Use the data in the table.
Explain why helium is non-flammable.
38 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 7.3 Group 0, covering 7.3.1 The noble gases. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.