Breathing Helium and Sulfur Hexafluoride

The peculiar sound of one's voice after breathing helium or sulfur hexafluoride provides an amusing demonstration of the variation of the velocity of sound with the density of a gas. MATERIALS

*

helium and sulfur hexafluoride* balloon funny hats (optional)

Specialty gases and equipment can be procured from Matheson Gas Products, P. O. Box 1587, Secaucus, NJ 07094. PROCEDURE A dramatic illustration of the variation of the speed of sound with the density of a gas is performed by breathing a low density and a high density gas and talking as the gas is expelled from the lungs. Suitable gases are helium and sulfur hexafluoride. Xenon, though more expensive, can be used in place of sulfur hexafluoride. The gases are most conveniently breathed by first filling a balloon from a gas cylinder with a pressure regulator set to about 5-10 psi. One should exhale the air from the lungs and then inhale the gas through the mouth as if sucking a straw. The gas is then slowly exhaled as one talks. A duck hat for the helium and a cowboy had for the sulfur hexafluoride adds to the humor. One can also fill a balloon with sulfur hexafluoride and tie it off. It is distinctly heavier than an equivalent air balloon as can be illustrated by dropping the two side by side. An especially instructive demonstration is to breathe a mixture of helium and sulfur hexafluoride in a proportion such that its density is close to the density of air. This can be done by first filling the balloon with helium and then adding just enough sulfur hexafluoride so that the balloon is slightly heavier than air (like an air-filled balloon). In principle, one's voice should sound normal after breathing such a mixture, but in practice the helium rises first into the nasal cavity and is expelled, leaving the sulfur hexafluoride which is exhausted at a slower rate. Such a demonstration shows that the density of the gas rather than its particular composition is the relevant variable. DISCUSSION The speed of sound in a gas is proportional to the square root of its density. For helium the speed is 2.7 times the speed of sound in air. For sulfur hexafluoride the speed is 0.44 times the speed of sound in air. The speed of sound in air is 343 m/s or 750 mi/hr at 20C and is proportional to the square root of the absolute temperature.

The voice sounds different because the natural resonant frequencies of cavities in the head are raised or lowered in proportion to the speed of sound[1]. Of course the resonant frequencies of these cavities are only one ingredient in the way we sound. The gas does not alter the frequency of the vocal cords nor does it affect how fast we talk. The vocal tract acts as a filter for the sounds produced by the vocal cords in a manner similar to the treble and bass controls on a stereo. Most people have heard the distinctive yet highly amusing sound that results when one breathes helium. Deep sea divers often breathe an atmosphere that is largely helium so that they can exist in a high pressure environment without exceeding the body's tolerance for nitrogen and oxygen. Most people have not heard the equally amusing sound that results from breathing sulfur hexafluoride. Sulfur hexafluoride has the additional property that, since it is a high density gas, it tends to remain in the lungs for a long time, and thus the effect on the voice persists much longer. HAZARDS The major danger in performing this demonstration is hypoxia from not getting enough oxygen while the gas is being breathed. Thus one should not immediately repeat the demonstration but wait a minute or so before breathing more gas. It is a good idea to take a few deep breaths before and after each demonstration. One should point out to the audience that the breathing of most gases (even some air) is potentially harmful. Helium and sulfur hexafluoride are two of a very small number of gases with which this demonstration can be safely done. The substitution of other gases, especially flammable gases such as hydrogen, is not recommended.