What is the heaviest element?

The heaviest element known to exist is currently oganesson, which is represented by the symbol Og on the periodic table. Oganesson is an artificially synthesized element and is not found naturally on Earth. It was first created in a laboratory in 2002 by a team of Russian and American scientists. Oganesson has an atomic number of 118, indicating that it has 118 protons in its nucleus, making it the heaviest element by atomic number.

It is worth noting that the concept of "heaviness" can be interpreted in different ways when discussing elements. Another way to consider the heaviest element is by atomic mass. In terms of atomic mass, the heaviest element is currently oganesson as well. It has a very high atomic mass, exceeding 294 atomic mass units (u). However, it's important to mention that oganesson and other superheavy elements are highly unstable and decay rapidly, making their study challenging.