There are 118 elements in the periodic table. what is a likely estimate of the number of compounds formed by these elements? 118 compounds as each compound is made of one element 236 compounds as each compound is made of two elements far greater than 118 because elements combine in various ways 59 compounds because elements pair up with each other to form all compounds

Answer is: Far greater than 118 because elements combine in various ways.

Number of compounds is more than 30 millions.

A chemical compound is a substance composed of many identical molecules.

Element bonded to an identical chemical element is not a compound.

For example, emerald (beryl) is chemical compound (beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate) with the chemical formula Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆.  

Other example, molecule carbon(IV) oxide (CO₂) is made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms bonded with covalent bonds.

Element is pure substance is made of only one type of atom (element) or only one type of molecule, it has definite and constant composition with distinct chemical properties.

nacl or sodium chloride is an ionic compound. this is because an ionic compound pertains to a compound that consists of positively and negatively charged ions. in this case, na (sodium) has a tendency to lose one electron when it reacts with with other atoms, so the resulting sodium ion contains 11 protons and 10 electrons, thus making it positively charged (na+), when chlorine reacts, it usually gains one electron to form an ion called chloride, thus making it negatively charged ( since the ions are oppositely charged, they attract.