• Atomic Number For Tritium
• Tritium Decay Equation
• What Is Tritium Atomic Number
• Tritium Periodic Table
• Tritium Beta Energy

Hydrogen without any neutron is protium. Hydrogen with one neutron is deuterium. The atomic number of tritium is the same as other forms of hydrogen, but due to different neutrons in its nucleus makes it different from other forms in respect of their nuclear properties. Conclusion: Therefore, hydrogen-3 is also known as tritium contains 3 nucleons; one is a proton, and 2 are neutrons in its atom. Atomic Number: 1 (protons in nucleus) Atomic Weight: 1 (naturally occurring H) What Is It? Tritium is the only radioactive isotope of hydrogen. (An isotope is a different form of an element that has the same number of protons in the nucleus but a different number of neutrons.) The nucleus of a tritium atom consists of a proton and two neutrons.

A family of people often consists of related but not identical individuals. Elements have families as well, known as isotopes. Isotopes are members of a family of an element that all have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

The number of protons in a nucleus determines the element’s atomic number on the Periodic Table. For example, carbon has six protons and is atomic number 6. Carbon occurs naturally in three isotopes: carbon 12, which has 6 neutrons (plus 6 protons equals 12), carbon 13, which has 7 neutrons, and carbon 14, which has 8 neutrons. Every element has its own number of isotopes.

The addition of even one neutron can dramatically change an isotope’s properties. Carbon-12 is stable, meaning it never undergoes radioactive decay. Carbon-14 is unstable and undergoes radioactive decay with a half-life of about 5,730 years (meaning that half of the material will be gone after 5,730 years). This decay means the amount of carbon-14 in an object serves as a clock, showing the object’s age in a process called “carbon dating.”

Isotopes have unique properties, and these properties make them useful in diagnostics and treatment applications. They are important in nuclear medicine, oil and gas exploration, basic research, and national security.

DOE Office of Science & Isotopes

Isotopes are needed for research, commerce, medical diagnostics and treatment, and national security. However, isotopes are not always available in sufficient quantities or at reasonable prices. The DOE Isotope Program addresses this need. The program produces and distributes radioactive and stable isotopes that are in short supply, including byproducts, surplus materials, and related isotope services. The program also maintains the infrastructure required to produce and supply priority isotope products and related services. Finally, it conducts research and development on new and improved isotope production and processing techniques.

Isotope Facts

• All elements have isotopes.
• There are two main types of isotopes: stable and unstable (radioactive).
• There are 254 known stable isotopes.
• All artificial (lab-made) isotopes are unstable and therefore radioactive; scientists call them radioisotopes.
• Some elements can only exist in an unstable form (for example, uranium).
• Hydrogen is the only element whose isotopes have unique names: deuterium for hydrogen with one neutron and tritium for hydrogen with two neutrons.

Resources and Related Terms

• National Isotope Development Center (Isotope Basics)

Scientific terms can be confusing. DOE Explains offers straightforward explanations of key words and concepts in fundamental science. It also describes how these concepts apply to the work that the Department of Energy’s Office of Science conducts as it helps the United States excel in research across the scientific spectrum.

Contents

• Atomic number and Mass number
• Isotopes

Atom

An atom is the smallest particle of an element which can take part in chemical reaction. Atom consists of three fundamental particles i.e. proton, neutron and electron. Atoms of same elements are similar in properties whereas atoms of different elements are different in properties. Example:- ‘H’ represent the atom of hydrogen.

Proton is positively charged and electron is negatively charged particle. In an atom, number of protons = number of electrons. Hence, the net charge present in an atom is zero i.e. a free atom is chargeless.

Atomic number and Mass number

Atomic number :

• Atomic number is the number of protons present in an atom.
• The modern periodic table is arranged in order of increasing atomic number.

Mass number and Atomic mass :

• Mass number is the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons present in an atom. It is a whole number.

Mass no. of an atom = No. of protons + No. of neutrons

• Atomic mass is the average mass of the all of the isotopes of that element. It is a decimal number.
• For example: Hydrogen has three isotopes – ₁H¹, ₁H² and ₁H³ having mass number 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Naturally occurring hydrogen contains about 99.985% of protium, 0.014% of deuterium and 0.001 % of tritium. Therefore the atomic mass of hydrogen is 1.00784 amu.
• The atomic mass of an element element is measured in atomic mass unit (amu, also known as Daltons ‘ D’or unified atomic mass unit ‘u’).
• 1amu = 1.66 x 10^-24 grams. 1gm = 6.022 x 10²³ amu ( i.e. Avogadro’s number).

Here,

• Atomic number = Number of protons = Number of electrons = 13
• Mass number = No. of protons + No. of neutrons
• No. of neutrons = Mass number – No. of protons = 27-13 = 14.

Atomic mass of first 20 elements

Isotopes

Atomic Number For Tritium

Atoms of the same element having same atomic number but different mass number (atomic mass/weight) are called isotopes. For example:

Isotopes of hydrogen :

There are three isotopes of hydrogen:

1. Protium or ordinary hydrogen
2. Deuterium or heavy hydrogen
3. Tritium or radioactive hydrogen.

Naturally occurring hydrogen contains about 99.985% of protium, 0.014% of deuterium and 0.001 % of tritium.

Isotopes have different physical properties since they differ in their mass number.

They have same chemical properties since their electronic configuration is same. However, they differ in the rate of chemical reaction. For example, D₂ reacts with Cl₂ about 13 times slower than H₂ does. The different in rate of reaction due to difference in mass of the atoms of the same element is called isotope effect.

Some other examples of isotopic elements :

Isobars

Atoms of different elements having different atomic number but same mass number are called isobars. For example :

₁₈Ar⁴⁰, ₁₉K⁴⁰ and ₂₀Ca⁴⁰

Isotones

Atoms of different elements having different atomic number and mass number but same number of neutrons are called isotones. For example :

₆C¹⁴, ₇N¹⁵ and ₈O¹⁶

Objective questions and their answers

1. Which of the following is known as heavy hydrogen?

a. Protium c. Tritium

b. Deuterium d. Para hydrogen

2. Which of the following is known as radioactive hydrogen?

a. Protium c. Tritium

b. Deuterium d. Para hydrogen

3. Least abundant isotope of hydrogen is:

a. Protium c. Tritium

b. Deuterium d. Heavy hydrogen

4. Diamond and graphite are :

a. Isotopes c. Isotones

b. Isobars d. Allotropes

Tritium Decay Equation

5. ₆C¹⁴ and ₈O¹⁶ are :

a. Isotopes c. Isotones

b. Isobars d. Allotropes

6. ₆C¹⁴ and ₇N¹⁴ are :

a. Isotopes c. Isotones

b. Isobars d. Allotropes

7. All particles residing inside the nucleus of an atom are termed as:

a. Protons c. Electrons

b. Neutrons d. Nucleons

8. What makes the atomic mass fractional ?

a.Prerence of isotopes

b. Number of unpaired electrons

c. Spherical shape

d. Quantum number.

9. Which of the following are not isotopes:

a. ₁H¹ and ₁H³

b. ₁₈K⁴⁰ and ₂₀Ca⁴⁰

c. ₆C¹⁴ and ₇N¹⁴

d. Both b and c.

10. Charge present in the nucleus of an atom is :

a. Positive c. Chargeless

b. Negative d. Both +Ve and -Ve

11. Molecular weight of heavy water is :

a. 16 c. 20

b. 18 d. 22

Answers :

1. b 2. c 3. c

What Is Tritium Atomic Number

4. d [Note : different forms of same element having different properties are called allotropes]

5. c 6. b 7. d

8. a 9. d 10. a

11. c Note :Heavy water– Deuterium oxide (D₂O) is called heavy water. It’s molecular weight is 20 and boiling paint is 101.5⁰C and melting point is 3.8⁰C.

Tritium Periodic Table

References

Tritium Beta Energy

• Sthapit, M.K., Pradhananga, R.R., Foundations of Chemistry, Vol 1 and 2, Fourth edition, Taleju Prakashan, 2005.