Re: Simple test...

Pretty close, Technoguy. Tritium is actually a beta emitter, and zinc sulfide is used as an excitement material for alpha particles. You are correct on the half life. Actually, my Helbros watch I have kicks of 30urem/hr gamma, and if I wore it 16 hours a day, every day, it would increase my dosage by 170 mrem/yr. The average background in the U.S. is around 360mrem/yr, so yes, it does make a difference. I also have a Westclox Big Ben, and it is also fairly warm. It, on average will raise your exposure around 10-15 mrem/yr. The difference is the distance from you to the nightstand, and most folks don't sleep 16 hours a day.