Why are there only a certain number of elements in the periodic table?

Question

For example, Tin has an atomic number of 50, why couldn't we have an element with 714 protons? Why can't we have infinitely larger amounts of elements?

Answer 1

Every element above Uranium, which has an atomic number of 92, does is not present in nature. The reason that there are not elements larger than Uranium in nature is because every element above Uranium has an unstable nucleus that radioactively decays to become a smaller nucles. The larger the atomic number the more unstable the nucleus is and hte faster it will decay. Element 112 had a 1/2 life of a second or two. So the reason why there aren't infinitely large elements is due to the instability of large nuclei.

Answer 2

IN 1916 einstein predicted what is known today as
BOSE-EINSTEIN condensation.. this form of matter is the most fragile thing ever known. thier existance is fleeting at best.
the current periodic chart of the elements represents all known elements in existance. SO, the number of elements on the chart is all of the available data. Additionally, one can not use just any atom to create a supernucleus atom such as you describe. if memory serves me correctly, the best attempt was succeeded with an atom of rubidium.

Answer 3

The periodic table represents "known" elements - those scientifically shown to exist. The physics of this universe limit the size of elements and do not allow for infinitely large ones.

Answer 4

that is all that have been discovered so far.
because each each step up the periodic chart requires more and more energy to keep the atoms stabalized, even the higher # elements only existed for brief fractions of seconds before they fell apart within a nuclear reactor.

there might be atoms with more energy shells but they would exist in area of highly concentrated energy that we have no way to study them.

Answer 5

the elements become unstable and begin to radioactively decay. new elements have been discovered buy they are "made" by humbans b/c if they ever existed they have decayed to elements we have on the periodic table.