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Name:   Mariana C.
Status:  student
Age:  13
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000
Question:
How can their be over 100 types of elements if their are only 3 types of subatomic particles?

Replies:
Mariana,

There are many different elements because the composition of various atoms are not limited to using only one of each of the sub-atomic particles. For example, an ordinary hydrogen atom consists of a single proton and one electron; a helium atom consists of two protons, two neutrons and two electrons; a lithium atom consists of three protons, four neutrons and three electrons ... and so on all through chemists' catalog of elements -- the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Regards,
ProfHoff


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