ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Tritiated water

Tritiated water is a special kind of water that has an extra tiny particle called a tritium atom floating around in it. This makes the water slightly different than regular water, kind of like adding a cherry to your ice cream sundae makes it different from a plain one.

Tritium is a special type of hydrogen that has two extra particles in its nucleus, making it a bit heavier than regular hydrogen. When this special hydrogen is combined with oxygen to make water, it forms tritiated water.

Scientists use tritiated water to study how things move around in the environment. It’s like a secret spy tracking device for water! Different things in the environment, like plants or animals, can drink the tritiated water and scientists can track where it goes and how long it stays in their bodies. This helps them learn more about how things move around and change in the environment.

But don’t worry, even though tritiated water is a bit different than regular water, it’s still safe to drink in small amounts. It’s kind of like adding a little bit of special sauce to your burger - it’s still a burger, but with a little bit of extra flavor!