Why does the number of protons in an atom never change during chemical reactions?
Protons are tightly bound in the nucleus
Protons are located in the nucleus, held together with neutrons by the very strong nuclear force. Ordinary chemical reactions involve only energies of a few electron-volts and act on the outer (valence) electrons.
Atoms gain, lose or share electrons to form bonds, but these energies are far too small to disturb the nucleus. Hence the number of protons — the atomic number, which fixes the identity of the element — stays unchanged.
Protons do not move easily to other atoms and do not sit in the electron cloud; protons combining with electrons to give neutrons (electron capture) is a nuclear process, not a chemical one.
Hence, the answer is: Protons are tightly bound in the nucleus.
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