The situation is different if we have bags in which to enclose our balls. For instance, always using five balls, we can either form a bag of five, or a bag of one plus a bag of four, or a bag of two plus a bag of three. Bags give us the possibility to create three different objects where we only had one before.

In the atomic world of Eternons, balls are protons, and bags are orbiting electrons. With these two basic components, Eternons are able to assemble a wide assortment of building blocks. A bag of eleven protons, for example, is an atom of chlorine. A bag of seventeen protons, is an atom of sodium. Together, they add up to twenty-eight protons, the very number found in an atom of nickel. But, because they are in separate bags, the atom of chlorine plus the atom of sodium do not produce an atom of nickel. Instead, they form a molecule of sodium chloride that we can use to temper our food; it is table salt.

Solely according to the way they are wrapped in electrons, twenty-eight protons will be an atom of nickel or a molecule of salt. Similarly, ten protons will be a molecule of water, a molecule of methane, or an atom of neon gas.

True, atoms are more than bags and balls. Not to mention a few additional ingredients, like neutrons, which they use to create even more variety. Yet, our illustration shows the cleverness of the whole process. Although they materialize in a minute number of particles, Eternons are able to make up all the substances of the universe.