How Many Natural Elements Are There?

[RJ Emery]

TL;DR Summary

Number of Natural Elements

I always thought there were 92 natural elements, ending with atomic number 92 Uranium. However, I read where 94 are considered natural, to wit, 93 Neptunium and 94 Plutonium. Yet, the latter two need to be synthetically prepared. How can they be considered natural?

Was 94 always the accepted number of natural elements?

With the exception of 43 Technetium, all the elements above 92 Uranium are synthetic.

 

[mitochan]

Neptunium and Plutonium are made when 92 Uranium get neutrons in fission. I do not know the definition of natural elements but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor says natural fission has took place. Product of natural fission there could be regarded as natural one.

 

[Borek]

Define "natural" and we will start from there.

Do elements synthesized in r-process count?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Is Technitium natural? Promethium? Astatine? Francium?

 

[ZapperZ]

Summary:: Number of Natural Elements

I always thought there were 92 natural elements, ending with atomic number 92 Uranium. However, I read where 94 are considered natural, to wit, 93 Neptunium and 94 Plutonium. Yet, the latter two need to be synthetically prepared. How can they be considered natural?

Was 94 always the accepted number of natural elements?

With the exception of 43 Technetium, all the elements above 92 Uranium are synthetic.

As Borek said, until you can clearly define the word "natural" unambiguously, your question is vague and has no clear answer.

Zz.

 

[TeethWhitener]

I feel like this topic comes up once every few years. Nonetheless, relevant SMBC:
https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2011-06-11