The heaviest naturally occurring element is
a) Uranium b) Iron c) Silica d) Aluminum
iron
a) Uranium
To find the heaviest naturally occurring element among the options given, we need to refer to the periodic table.
The periodic table lists all the known elements in order by atomic number, which is the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. Elements with higher atomic numbers generally have more protons and, therefore, more mass.
Let's check the atomic numbers of the elements listed:
a) Uranium: Uranium has an atomic number of 92.
b) Iron: Iron has an atomic number of 26.
c) Silica: "Silica" is not an element. It likely refers to silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is a compound.
d) Aluminum: Aluminum has an atomic number of 13.
Comparing the atomic numbers, we can determine that the heaviest naturally occurring element among the given options is uranium, which has an atomic number of 92.
Therefore, the correct answer is a) Uranium.