NikV wrote:
"Chris Bacon"...

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On investigation, you are right. Tritium is both light and radioactive,
It also has a half life measured in days,
Erm, rubbish - again!
so poses very little hazard.

What has the half-life got to do with the hazard?


Something with a short half life will be more active than the same number of
atoms of a substance with a longer half life so poses greater hazard for a
shorter time (all other things being equal - the different types of
radiation pose different hazards in different circumstances generally alpha
if kept outside the body is relativly harmless since its penetrating power
is small, it is stopped by the dead skin cells, gamma radiation is very
penetrating but its ionising power is low so event per event does little
damage, beta will penetrate and will ionise so outside the body this poses
quite a hazard. The problem particulaly with radon is that its an alpha
emmitter which because its a gas can penetrate into the body and the high
ionisng power of the alpha radiation damages the living cells it comes into
contact with.

Thank you :-). It's interesting to note that whilst smokers are at far
greated risk of cancers than non-smokers, in this case they will be
better protected from the effects of radon due to the increased
thickness of mucus in the lungs... I add that useless information for
nothing.