What happens when the number of protons in an atom changes? The atomic nucleus explodes The number of electrons changes too Usually nothing happens, unless the atom is radioactive It becomes a completely different atom, with different properties

The number of protons in an atom's nucleus determines the atomic number, which identifies the element. When the number of protons changes, the atom becomes a different element with different properties. This is because the number of protons in the nucleus determines the charge of the nucleus, and the charge of the nucleus determines the charge of the atom. Therefore, if the number of protons changes, the charge of the atom changes, and the atom becomes a different element. This is not related to the atomic nucleus exploding, the number of electrons changing, or the atom becoming radioactive. These are all separate phenomena that can occur in an atom, but they are not directly related to the number of protons in the nucleus.