He
Helium Symbol (He)
Helium is element 2 of the periodic table. Copy its symbol He and see its atomic weight, electron configuration and common compounds.
What does He mean?
He is the chemical symbol for helium, element number 2 in the periodic table. Helium is a noble gas in group 18, period 1. It is an inert noble gas used in balloons, cryogenics (liquid helium cools MRI magnets) and as a breathing-gas component for deep diving.
Codes and properties
| Chemical symbol | He |
|---|---|
| Atomic number (Z) | 2 |
| Standard atomic weight | 4.0026 |
| Group / period | 18 / 1 |
| Element category | noble gas |
| Electron configuration | 1s² |
How to type He
- Plain text: type
He— element symbols are ordinary Latin letters, with the first letter capitalised and the second lowercase. - Subscripts in formulas: use Unicode subscript digits (₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉) for formulas such as H₂O — copy them from the chemistry keyboard.
- LaTeX: write
\mathrm{He}in math mode, or use the mhchem package:\ce{He}. - HTML:
He; for subscripts use<sub>, e.g.H<sub>2</sub>O.
Frequently asked questions
What is the chemical symbol for helium?
The chemical symbol for helium is He.
What is the atomic number of helium?
Helium has atomic number 2, meaning each atom has 2 protons.
What is the electron configuration of helium?
The ground-state electron configuration of helium is 1s².