Only a handful of chemical elements and compounds exist in the Universe, probably on the order of a dozen. Plate tectonics and the presence of water on terrestrial planets (probably on the order of billions or trillions in galaxies like the Milky Way) will expand the number of minerals and compounds to several hundred (from 420 to 1,500 depending on the abundance of water and plate tectonics). Then, the advent of oxygen (released by life forms like plants) will further expand the number of compounds and minerals to around 4,500. And life expands this diversity further beyond 5,000.
