Final answer:
The unique pattern of electron orbits in atoms explains why atoms can form compounds, as the arrangement of electrons determines the chemical bonding and interactions between atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The unique pattern of electron orbits in each type of atom helps to explain why atoms can form compounds. The arrangement of electrons in the atomic orbitals determines the ways in which atoms can interact with one another. For instance, the valence electrons, which are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom, are the ones that are involved in chemical bonding. These electrons can be shared or transferred between atoms to form covalent or ionic bonds, resulting in the formation of compounds. Moreover, the periodic table reflects the electronic arrangements of elements which helps chemists to predict and explain the properties and the chemistry of an element.
Atoms have different masses primarily due to the difference in the number of protons and neutrons in their nuclei, and not because of their electron orbits. While the number of electrons does affect the overall charge of an atom, it is the disparity in the numbers of protons and neutrons that accounts for the different masses. Lastly, stability of atoms and charges largely come from the balance between the number of protons and electrons, and the way electrons fill into quantum mechanical orbitals, but it is not directly tied to the unique pattern of electron orbits per se.