2
He
Helium
4.0026
Helium
Noble gas
Helium is element 2, symbol He. It sits in period 1, group 18, and weighs 4.0026.
Their outer shell is already full, so they barely react with anything.
- Atomic number
- 2
- Atomic weight
- 4.0026
- Period
- Period 1
- Group
- Group 18
- Block
- s block
- Electron configuration
- 1s2
- Outer-shell electrons
- 2
- Neutrons
- 2
The periodic table
Rows are periods, columns are groups. Tap any square to open that element.
1H2He3Li4Be5B6C7N8O9F10Ne11Na12Mg13Al14Si15P16S17Cl18Ar19K20Ca21Sc22Ti23V24Cr25Mn26Fe27Co28Ni29Cu30Zn31Ga32Ge33As34Se35Br36Kr37Rb38Sr39Y40Zr41Nb42Mo43Tc44Ru45Rh46Pd47Ag48Cd49In50Sn51Sb52Te53I54Xe55Cs56Ba57La58Ce59Pr60Nd61Pm62Sm63Eu64Gd65Tb66Dy67Ho68Er69Tm70Yb71Lu72Hf73Ta74W75Re76Os77Ir78Pt79Au80Hg81Tl82Pb83Bi84Po85At86Rn87Fr88Ra89Ac90Th91Pa92U93Np94Pu95Am96Cm97Bk98Cf99Es100Fm101Md102No103Lr104Rf105Db106Sg107Bh108Hs109Mt110Ds111Rg112Cn113Nh114Fl115Mc116Lv117Ts118Og
Others in the same group
Neighbours by number
How to read this
- A row (period) is the number of electron shells. Elements in period 3 carry three of them.
- A column (group) tells you how many electrons sit in the outer shell — which is why a group behaves alike.
- Atomic weight runs at roughly twice the atomic number: about as many neutrons as protons.
- The 28 lanthanides and actinides are drawn below the table. Slotting them in would stretch it to 32 columns.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What are Helium's number and symbol?
Element 2, symbol He, atomic weight 4.0026.
Q. Where does it sit in the table?
Period 1, group 18 — a noble gas.
Q. What is its electron configuration?
1s2, or 1s2 for short.
Q. How many neutrons does it have?
Rounding the atomic weight and subtracting the atomic number gives 2. The exact count depends on the isotope.