There are 118 known chemical elements. How many of these occur naturally?
A100
B92
C108
DAll 118
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. 92
1. The text distinguishes between the total number of known elements and the subset that occurs in nature.
2. It states: "There are 118 elements, but only 92 occur naturally. The remaining elements are synthesized in laboratories and are unstable."
3. So the elements beyond the 92nd are all laboratory-synthesized and unstable, not naturally occurring.
4. This means the correct count of naturally occurring elements is 92, not 100, 108, or all 118.
_Source: OpenStax Biology Ch 2 "The Chemical Foundation of Life", p.33 §2.1 | Atoms, Isotopes, Ions, and Molecules: The Building Blocks_
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