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From: SASW@MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: radioactive Tritium
Message-ID: <12341@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Oct-83 01:17:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12341
Posted: Tue Oct 11 01:17:00 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Oct-83 08:07:18 EDT
Lines: 19

From:  Steven A. Swernofsky <SASW @ MIT-MC>

    Date: 4 Oct 1983 01:07-PDT
    From: BILLW at Sri-Kl

    On top of that, Tritium is an alpha emitter.

This can't be true.  Tritium (H-3) contains only 3 nucleons, while alpha
particles (He-4) contain 4.  Tritium could be a beta emitter, via the
reaction

    (p + 2n)  -->  (2p + n) + beta + neutrino
    H-3            He-3

A beta particle is just a high-energy free electron.  Betas have more
penetrating power than alphas, but much less than gammas.  Neutrinos, of
course, have the most penetrating power of all!

-- Steve