Final answer:
Elements can form many compounds through a variety of combination ratios, but the total number of compounds is limited by the finite number of elements and the laws governing chemical bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are many but limited combinations of elements to make all compounds due to the finite number of elements and the specific ways in which they can chemically bond with each other. With just over 100 elements, a multitude of chemical compounds are possible. Each compound has a specific composition and its own set of chemical and physical properties that distinguish it from any other. These elements form compounds by reacting in fixed whole number proportions, as articulated in the Law of Multiple Proportions. For instance, glucose is a compound consistently made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a fixed ratio.
Compounds composed of two nonmetallic elements can form in several combination ratios, increasing the diversity of possible compounds. Additionally, elements are composed of atoms, the basic building blocks of matter. While there are 118 identified elements, only 98 occur naturally. The atoms of these elements can neither be created nor destroyed; they can only be rearranged to form new compounds, which is why the combinations, though numerous, are finite.