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Q62 (NDA-II/2015) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Periodic table elements Answer Verified

The symbol of the element ‘Tungsten* is:

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The chemical symbol for the element Tungsten is W [1]. This symbol is derived from its alternative name, 'Wolfram', which has roots in medieval German smelting history [1]. German smelters observed that certain ores containing tungsten reduced the yield of tin, metaphorically 'devouring' the tin like a wolf, leading to the name 'wolf-rahm' or wolf's foam [1]. Tungsten is a transition metal with the atomic number 74, located in the d-block of the periodic table. While the name 'tungsten' originates from the Swedish words 'tung sten', meaning 'heavy stone', the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) retains the symbol W based on the historical name Wolfram [1]. Other options like Ta (Tantalum), Tc (Technetium), and Tl (Thallium) represent different chemical elements.

Sources

  1. [1] https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/content/elements.html
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