Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Tritium radioluminescence
open-in-new
<p>Tritium radioluminescence is the use of gaseous <a href="/facts/Tritium/HWSa6EHy">tritium</a>, a radioactive <a href="/facts/Isotope/KD9B1y6o">isotope</a> of <a href="/facts/Hydrogen/BoYHjl0J">hydrogen</a>, to create visible light. Tritium emits <a href="/facts/Electron/L0KBo5cW">electrons</a> through <a href="/facts/Beta_decay/vxTBlckp">beta decay</a> and, when they interact with a phosphor material, light is emitted through the process of <a href="/facts/Phosphorescence/WshJFsKV">phosphorescence</a>. The overall process of using a radioactive material to excite a phosphor and ultimately generate light is called <a href="/facts/Radioluminescence/rsBBkXPK">radioluminescence</a>. As tritium illumination requires no electrical energy, it has found wide use in applications such as emergency <a href="/facts/Exit_sign/gcEczgL1">exit signs</a>, illumination of wristwatches, and portable yet very reliable sources of low intensity light which won't degrade human night vision. Gun sights for night use and small lights (which need to be more reliable than battery powered lights, yet not interfere with night vision or be bright enough to easily give away one's location) used mostly by military personnel fall under the latter application. </p>