UPSC Prelims 2001·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

Which one of the following is NOT radioactive?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. AAstatine
  2. BFrancium
  3. CTritium
  4. DZirconiumCorrect

Explanation

Zirconium is the correct answer because it is a stable transition metal. Unlike the other options, its naturally occurring isotopes are stable and do not undergo radioactive decay. Astatine is a highly unstable radioactive element and is the rarest naturally occurring element in the Earths crust. Francium is an extremely radioactive alkali metal with a very short half life. Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. Therefore, Zirconium is the only element among the choices that is not classified as radioactive.
science-and-technology: Which one of the following is NOT radioactive?

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