So, chemical elements are distinguished from each other by the number of protons inside their atoms.
But why did these differences come about in the first place? What made chemical elements keep their inherent properties throughout time?
I’m really trying to get behind this natural phenomenon, since any physical change we see in the world is explained by the ability of atoms to attach and detach.
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Hmm I think you may be thinking of molecules while asking about atoms. Yes, atoms are defined by their atomic number (protons) but physical reality as we experience it has more to do with the ways atoms bond with other atoms to create molecules. Most obvious example: oxygen is generally a gas at sea level on planet earth, and so is hydrogen– but when they form the molecule H2O, we get water. Meanwhile the oxygen we breathe from the atmosphere is mostly O2. The tendency of atoms to be attracted to other atoms in particular ways has more to do with their electrons than their protons. Molecules form when atoms are sharing one or more electron. Those molecular bonds vary in strength, but are waaaaaaay easier to break than splitting an atom apart or fusing two atoms together (fission and fusion)!
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