How is it possible that there are millions of pure substances when there's only about 100 elements?

Answer 1

The element carbon has the ability to link with itself in long chains containing from two up to hundreds of units. It can also form rings and bond with many other elements and they often with each other. This ability means that many millions of possible compounds can be formulated. The chemistry of carbon is called organic chemistry as life is based upon it.

Answer 2

This is because there are over 100 elements and different combinations can create multiple tens of thousands of pure substances. Many man made and some natural. A different combination of elements can produce pure substances co-existing in nature and man made

Answer 3

Most pure substances are compounds, substances whose particles are composed of two or more elements. For instance, there are dozens of pure substances that can be formed using only carbon and hydrogen: methane, ethyne, ethene, ethane, propyne, propene, and propane are just a small sampling. Each of these has only one type of particle present, so each is a different pure substance.

Answer 4

Millions of pure substances are created by combining different elements in various ratios and structures. These combinations result in different compounds with unique properties due to the nature of chemical bonding and arrangements of atoms. This diversity allows for countless pure substances to exist despite the limited number of elements.

Answer 5

atoms join together to make different substances

Answer 6

1. Because a substance is not equivalent to an element.
2. Today are registered more than 60 00 000 chemical compounds and the number is daily increasing.

Answer 7

The elements chemically combine to form compounds, which are also pure substances.