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Tritium (from Ancient Greek τρίτος (trítos) 'third') or hydrogen-3 (symbol T or 3 H) is a rare and radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a half-life of ~12.3 years. The tritium nucleus (t, sometimes called a triton) contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of the common isotope hydrogen-1 (protium) contains one proton and no neutrons, and that of non-radioactive hydrogen ...
Tritium decays into helium-3 with a half-life of 12.3 years, so helium-3 can be produced by simply storing the tritium until it undergoes radioactive decay. As tritium forms a stable compound with oxygen (tritiated water) while helium-3 does not, the storage and collection process could continuously collect the material that outgasses from the ...
Tritium excretion can be accelerated further by increasing water intake to 3–4 liters/day. [11] Direct, short-term exposure to small amounts of tritium is mostly harmless. If a tritium tube breaks, one should leave the area and allow the gas to diffuse into the air. Tritium exists naturally in the environment, but in very small quantities.
Tritium consists of 1 proton, 2 neutrons, and 1 electron. Tritium, 3 H (atomic mass 3.016 049 281 320 (81) Da), has one proton and two neutrons in its nucleus (triton). It is radioactive, β − decaying into helium-3 with half-life 12.32(2) years. [nb 1] [3] Traces of 3 H occur naturally due to cosmic rays interacting with atmospheric gases.
In its pure form it may be called tritium oxide (T 2 O or 3 H 2 O) or super-heavy water. Pure T 2 O is a colorless liquid, [ 1 ] and it is corrosive due to self- radiolysis . Diluted, tritiated water is mainly H 2 O plus some HTO ( 3 HOH).
Tritium undergoes beta decay into helium-3, which is a stable, but rare, isotope of helium that is itself highly sought after. Some tritium is created in heavy water moderated reactors when deuterium captures a neutron.
This page lists radioactive nuclides by their half-life.
In the decay, an electron and an antineutrino are ejected at great speed from the tritium nucleus, changing one of the neutrons into a proton with the release of 18,600 electronvolts (eV) of energy. The neutrino escapes the system; the electron is generally captured within a short distance, but far enough away from the site of the decay that it ...