I’m sorry if this is worded wrong, my science vocabulary isn’t all that in English.
So atoms can lose or gain electrons, protons and neutrons, but when they do, they turn into a different version of that element (ie. an iron cation) instead of another element that has that same amount of neutrons, protons and electrons. How do these changes make an element different, but not enough for it to turn into a different thing?
In: Physics
If an atom loses or gains a proton they *do* change in to a different element. The number of protons, if we simplify a bit, is what defines an element. Hydrogen always has one proton. If it gains a proton it is no longer hydrogen, it is now helium.
Losing or gaining neutrons is what turns elements in to different isotopes of that same element. The proton count is the same, but because neutrons affect the stability of the nucleus / atom core the isotope may not be as stable or behave somewhat differently, despite being the same atom.
Electrons for the purpose of this discussion don’t really matter, as they aren’t part of the nucleus. They just hover around and aid the atom in reacting to other stuff.
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