Eli5
When new elements get discovered theoretically they tend to be towards the end of the periodic table, why can there not be an element that has 1000 protons, neutrons and electrons ? Or other multiples of each ?
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We sort atoms by the number of protons they have, and call each possible number of protons an element. (If you change the number of neutrons, you get a different isotope, and changing the number of electrons gives you an ion, but protons define the element.)
Protons all share positive electrical charge, and are held into the nucleus by the “strong force” provided by the neutrons. Usually, you find atoms with *about* one neutron per proton, but there’s plenty of variation.
As atoms get bigger, that size becomes a problem. The strong force really only works at incredibly close range, and past a certain point, it doesn’t seem like there’s enough room to cram in enough holding-together power from neutrons alongside all the protons that make for a heavier element.
There’s some speculation that there might exist an “island of stability” where very specific configurations of those components are significantly less likely to fall apart (i.e. radioactive) than similar atoms, but the search has so far turned up nothing, partly because it’s really hard to find a way to smash enough parts into place all at once.
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