The half-lives of elements beyond uranium are too short for these elements to occur in natural deposits.But elements below uranium that have equally short half-lives do occur in natural deposits.This is because they are
A)the small leftover of huge abundances when the Earth formed.
B)subdued and preserved by pressures beneath the Earth.
C)bound with longer-living elements.
D)the products of uranium decay.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Elements below uranium that have short half-lives can occur in natural deposits because they are products of the decay of uranium. As uranium atoms decay, they convert into atoms of different elements, which may also be radioactive and undergo further decay. Some of these decay products may have short half-lives but can still accumulate in natural deposits due to the long timescales involved in geologic processes.

The Half-Lives of Elements Beyond Uranium Are Too Short for These