American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Practice Exam

The term "inanimate" refers specifically to objects that do not possess life. These objects do not exhibit characteristics such as growth, reproduction, or metabolism, which are fundamental traits of living organisms. Inanimate objects can include items like rocks, water, machines, and furniture, which are all devoid of biological processes.

In contrast, the other terms describe aspects of life; "animated" suggests movement or life, "living" clearly pertains to organisms that are alive, and "biotic" relates to living components of the environment. Thus, in this context, "inanimate" is the most accurate choice to describe objects that show no signs of life.