Yep, it's somewhere around 20 000 USD per gram... But you can get tritium vials on the marketplace, B@rt sells them at reasonable prices but they only contain a few micrograms of it.
Of course, his sales thread is here http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?270326-B-rt-s-Tritium-thread-part-deux-bisHey is B@rt still around? does he still sell TiGlows? can send him a message???wanting Ice blue titanium tritium keyring...
Yep, it's somewhere around 20 000 USD per gram... But you can get tritium vials on the marketplace, B@rt sells them at reasonable prices but they only contain a few micrograms of it.
Just curious.. how do you weigh something that is lighter than air? I'd imagine Tritium is sold by unit volume under some specified pressure, rather than weight..
-\Visdom
All gases have the same number of molecules in any volume at STP(same/standard temperature pressure)
So if you know mass of the molecule, temperature and volume you can calculate the mass.
Most comparisons use Ci(Curie) which is a measurement of the radioactive energy
Also be aware the stuff is regulated in many places and you may break the law just having a keychain. Unfortunately the NRC has shut down some USA sellers here and on Ebay. B@rt or farid on CPFMP is the best bet IMHO
How dangerous really is this stuff?
Should it break: The actual radioactive component in the vial is an isotope of hydrogen, which is much lighter than air; the tiny amount gas would immediately disperse and float away. Even if you were standing directly over a freshly broken vial, odds are the gas would be too dispersed for even a single molecule to reach your breathing space. If the vial were in your hand or pocket - again, it's a radioactive gas and not solid or fluid, it would simply float off and away, no more glow from your vial.
Worst case scenario: You break the vial on a table/desk, then IMMEDIATELY cup your hands around the vial and place your face directly over it and inhale deeply. If this were to happen, you'd receive as much radiation as ...a dental x-ray.
That's the beauty of the tritium vial design, rather than relying on the radioactive substance itself to glow, it uses a strong phosphor that glows brightly with very little energy, so you can use a remarkably weak source of radioactivity to produce a glow. The beta radiation that comes off of a tritium vial cannot penetrate tissue paper, and can only make it about a quarter inch from the vial in open air before dissipating. It's so weak that even if you were to set a Geiger Counter on its most sensitive setting, then press the probe directly onto the vial, it would not register a reading at all.
You weren't ignorant, It was a simple questionStarHalo Thank you for your rest assuring and informative reply. I feel a little less ignorant and more educated on the subject.
John
You weren't ignorant, It was a simple question
I have 2 new geiger counters, perfectly calibrated [one with a mica window] and a whole bunch of tritium vials,
Awesome test, thanks for the data! How does the reading from a trit vial or two compare to a banana?
I won't be testing bananas.
FACT
tritium vials do emit low energy gamma radiation in the form of x-rays, but the amount is harmless (lets say low risk)