Tritium beta decay

Tritium beta decay occurs when a tritium atom, which has one proton and two neutrons, transforms into a helium-3 atom by breaking down its neutron into a proton, emitting a beta particle (an electron) and an anti-neutrino. This process causes the nucleus to change, increasing the atom's atomic number from 1 to 2, turning tritium into helium-3. The emitted beta particle is a fast-moving electron, and this decay is a natural, gradual process used in scientific and medical applications, such as radiolabeling and studying nuclear reactions.