Keep learning more about helium by exploring the following activities with a friend or family member: We hope today's Wonder of the Day wasn't filled with too much hot air. As soon as regular air replaces the helium, your voice returns to normal. That's because the effect only lasts as long as there's helium around your vocal cords. If you've ever breathed helium and heard the sound of your voice, you've probably noticed that the effect wears off quickly. Helium's lower density can help improve airflow in the lungs of people with COPD. Doctors have sometimes treated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with a mixture of helium and oxygen. In fact, helium can be helpful in some instances. A few puffs of helium from a balloon usually isn't a big deal, though. This, in turn, can lead to brain injury and, in rare cases, even death. Prolonged inhalation of helium can lead to an inadequate amount of oxygen in the lungs and blood. Breathing a lot of helium, however, can be dangerous. Inhaling a couple of breaths of helium is usually harmless. Helium is the second most abundant element in the known universe (hydrogen is the most abundant). The helium actually affects the sound quality of your voice (its tone or timbre) by allowing sound to travel faster and thus change the resonances of your vocal tract by making it more responsive to high- frequency sounds. In reality, however, your vocal cords vibrate at the same frequency. Some people think that the helium changes the pitch of your voice. This results in the funny sounds you make when you talk after breathing helium. When you breathe in helium, your voice travels much more quickly across your vocal cords. That's why helium is used in balloons to make them float.ĭue to its lower density, sound travels over twice as fast through helium than it does regular air. Helium is much less dense than regular air. The air you breathe is made up mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. These vibrations resonate throughout your throat, nasal passages, mouth, tongue, and lips to create the sounds you make when you speak. These two folded mucous membranes vibrate when air passes between them. Your voice begins in your voice box, which scientists call the larynx. In addition to the air you breathe, the shape of your mouth, throat, nasal passages, tongue, and lips all contribute to creating the unique sound that is your voice. The sound of your normal voice is determined by a number of factors. Some people who do this sound like a duck, while others might sound like a squeaky mouse. If you're like many children, you've probably seen - and heard! - someone inhale helium from a balloon and then speak in a funny voice.
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