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It is radioactive (an average 6.5 keV energy Emax=18.6 keV pure beta emitter) and has a half-life of 12.43years. The low-energy beta radiation from tritium cannot penetrate human skin, so tritium is only dangerous if consumed in large quantities. Its low energy also makes it difficult to detect tritium labelled compounds except by using liquid scintillation counting.

Tritium occurs naturally due to cosmic rays interacting with deuterium in the atmosphere. It is produced in nuclear reactors by activation of Heavy water moderator by D(n,gamma)T and 10B(n,t)8Be or by nuclear reactors by exposing Li⁶ to a neutron source.

Tritium figures prominently in studies of nuclear reactions, especially nuclear fusion due to its favorable reaction cross sectionSoda can stove with a Cross section in yellow. In geometry, a cross section is the intersection of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, or of a body in 2-dimensional space with a line, etc. More plainly, when cutting an object into slices one gets and high energy yield (17.6 MeV for T(d,n)4He reaction). All atomic nuclei, being composed of protons and neutrons, repel one another because of their positive charge. However, if the atoms have a high enough temperature (as is the case in the core of the Sun, for example), then their random motions can overcome such electrical repulsion, and they can be be forced together into heavier atoms. Since tritium has the same charge as ordinary hydrogen, it experiences the same electrical repulsive force. However, due to its higher mass, it is less responsive to such forces, and thus can more easily fuse with other atoms. The same is also true, albeit to a lesser extent, of deuterium, and that is why brown dwarfBrown dwarfs are sub- stellar objects (~13 to 75 Jupiter masses) that never fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, as do stars on the main sequence. They do fuse deuterium. A useful criterion for telling brown dwarfs from low mass stars is obtained thrs (so called failed starFor alternate meanings see star (disambiguation Hubble Space Telescope of the Sagittarius Star Cloud in the Milky Way Galaxy. A star is any massive gaseous celestial body in outer space. Stars appear as shining points in the nighttime sky that twinkle becs) can't burn hydrogen, but do indeed burn deuterium.

Like hydrogen, it is difficult to confine tritium; rubberThis article is about the material rubber, for other uses see Rubber (disambiguation Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion (known as latex) in the sap of a number of plants but can also be produced synthetically. The ma, plasticThe term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers. Their name is derived from the fact that in their semi-liquid state they are ma, and some kinds of steelSteel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. Carbon acts as a binding agent, locking the otherwise easily-moved iron atoms into a rigid lattice. Varying the amount of carbon and its distribution in are all somewhat permeable. This has raised concerns that if tritium is used in quantity, in particular for fusion reactors, it may contribute to radioactive contaminationRadioactive contamination is the uncontrolled distribution of radioactive material in a given environment. Many radioactive isotopes are produced artificially, either for their specific properties (such as medical radioisotopes) or as a byproduct (such as.

Atmospheric nuclear testing (prior to the Partial Test Ban Treaty) proved unexpectedly useful to oceanographers, as the sharp spike in surface tritium levels could be used over the years to measure the rate at which the lower and upper ocean levels mixed.

Small amounts are used with phosphors for self-illuminating devices such as watches and exit signs. It is also used in certain countries to make glowing keychains. In recent years, the same process has been used to make self-illuminating gun sights for pistols and rifles.

Tritium was first produced in 1934 from deuterium, another isotope of hydrogen, by Ernest Rutherford, working with Mark Oliphant and Paul Harteck . Rutherford was unable to isolate the tritium, a job that was left to Luis Alvarez, who correctly deduced that the substance was radioactive. W. F. Libby discovered that tritium could be used for dating water, and therefore geological samples and vintage wines.

Tritium combines with oxygen to form a liquid called tritiated water (T₂O), somewhat like heavy water.