What happens if an atom gain or loses protons?

Answer 1

It is possible for an atom to gain or lose protons, but we need to look closely at the situation to see what's up. We'll begin with a look at proton capture, which is a way an atom can gain a proton. The process called proton capture is one we will not see in too many places. That's not to say it's uncommon, but there are a limited number of sources of protons. One of the big ones is stars. In what is called stellar nucleosynthesis, we see protons and neutrons that are captured in the massive gravity well of the star. The "body" of the star is a superheated form of matter we call plasma. The plasma is essentially a "soup" of subatomic particles, and, though they have kinetic energies off the charts, they're all "smooshed" together there are are fusing. The primary fuel of stars is hydrogen, and hydrogen is fused in the proton-proton reaction to create helium. But later in the star's life after it exhausts its hydrogen, proton capture (rapid proton capture) builds heavier elements. We can see proton capture in experiments in nuclear physics using accelerators. Protons can be accelerated and slammed into target material, and this was the way that investigators created those heavier elements back in the day using the newly invented machine called a cyclotron. Ernest Lawrence, et al., rode through the Periodic Table and expanded it at the top end by several elements in just a few years. And they did all this using the protons accelerated by the cyclotron and then slammed into atomic targets in the reaction area. In proton emission, which is a form of radioactive decay, a nucleus that is in a highly excited state following something like beta decay, an excited nucleus could further decay by emission of a proton. This situation is unusual, and we generally only see it in the physics lab. It was cobalt-53 that was first noticed to exhibit the property. It's been observed in a couple of dozen other elements, too, but it took a while to sort it all out. Some links can be found below to allow the motivated investigator to learn more.

Answer 2

If an atom of an element gains or loses protons, then it becomes an entirely different element.

NB

Hydrogen has 1 proton

Helium has 2 protons an entirely different element.

Lithium has 3 protons an entirely different element again.

et.seq.,

However, atoms gain of lose electrons to become ions.

Answer 3

Generally speaking the gain or loss of a proton is not possible.

However, in some nuclear decay reactions the nucleus can emit an electron which effectively means that the nucleus has gained a proton, ie a neutron changes to a proton.

This results in a change of atomic number by +1.

146C --> 147N +e-

Answer 4

An atom's identity is defined by the number of protons it has. If the number of protons changes, the atom becomes a different element.

For example, if carbon, which contains twelve protons, were to lose one, it would become boron, which contains eleven protons.

Answer 5

it becomes a different atom and changes the atomic #

Answer 6

No. If an atom lost or gained Protons, it would change the elements atomic number and would change the element completely.

Answer 7

Gains one - it becomes an atom of the element of the next highest atomic number. Looses one - it becomes an atom of the next lowest atomic number

Answer 8

it depends on what atom it is. :)