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Topic Radioactivity
Asked 9 times across 5 UPSC exams over 23 years (2001–2024), peaking in 2015.
Key insights
- Most tested in CAPF — 3 of 9 PYQs
- Most asked in 2015
- Recurs across 8 years (2001–2024)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 2001 → CAPF 2015 → CDS 2015 → NDA 2021 → GEO 2023
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (6 of 9) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CAPF2024
The isotope of which one among the following elements is used in the treatment of cancer?
- A Uranium
- B Cobalt ✓
- C Iodine
- D Fluorine
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
GEO2023
The phenomenon of radioactivity was first discovered by
- A Marie Curie
- B Henri Becquerel ✓
- C Frederick Soddy
- D Ernest Rutherford
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
NDA2021
Which one of the following elements' isotopes is used in the treatment of cancer ?
- A Iodine
- B Sodium
- C Cobalt ✓
- D Uranium
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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