What explains the difference of number of protons inside chemical elements?

Question

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.

In: 2

Answer 1

Ignoring the heavy, unstable elements lower on the table – It is really, really difficult to change one element to another.

In the beginning, there was just hydrogen (1 proton). Helium only exists because the protons in the hydrogen were pushed together (fused) inside a star. Same is true for many of the lighter elements. Others can only be made in supernova explosions.

Once created, these proton configurations are very stable.