Question

Which isotope of hydrogen is used to make self-luminous paint?
A.Tritium
B.Protium
C.Deuterium
D.None of the above

Answer 1

There are basically three isotopes of hydrogen i.e. tritium, deuterium and protium. Each isotope comprehends unique properties. So, to solve this question we need to know the properties of the isotopes.

Complete step by step answer:
As we know that hydrogen is the first element in the periodic table and has the atomic number one. Those elements which have the same atomic number but different mass numbers are called isotopes. So, there are three isotopes of hydrogen namely protium, deuterium and lastly tritium. The isotopes are different because of the different number of neutrons present in them.
Now, let’s discuss all the three isotopes and their properties. The first one is protium ${(^1}H)$ .The nucleus of this isotope consists of a single proton. Moreover, it is plenty in nature with an abundance of $99.98\%$ . The next one is Deuterium ${(^2}H)$ .It comprises one proton and one neutron in its nucleus. The nucleus of hydrogen two is termed as deuteron. Some of the applications of this compound are in drugs, nuclear weapons, tracing, contract properties and many more. The last one is Tritium ${(^3}H)$ . It comprises two neutrons and one proton in its nucleus. It decays into helium 3 through beta decay. Some of its applications are in self- luminous paints, neutron indicators, nuclear weapons, self-powered light and many more.
So, it is clear that tritium is used to make self-luminous paints.

Hence, option A is correct.

Note: Generally, radioactive isotopes are the types of chemical elements that are formed by the natural decay of atoms. The radiation exposure is generally considered hazardous to the human body but in medicines, the radioisotopes are highly valuable, particularly in disease diagnosis and treatment.