Are hydrogen atoms different from oxygen atoms?

Yes. That's the main reason why the properties and characteristics of hydrogen

are completely different from the properties and characteristics of oxygen.

For only one example, almost 1/5 of the air you breathe is oxygen, and

when you breathe it in, your body can live on it. But practically zero of

the air you breathe is hydrogen, and even if you get a tank of it and

breathe it, your body can't.

Almost every atom of oxygen has 8 protons and 8 neutrons in its nucleus.

Almost every atom of hydrogen has 1 proton and no neutrons in its nucleus.

Oxygen doesn't burn in oxygen, but carbon does. When that happens,

the carbon atoms and the oxygen atoms combine, and form molecules

of carbon-dioxide.

Hydrogen does burn in oxygen. When that happens, the hydrogen atoms

and the oxygen atoms combine, and form molecules of water.

A few other things that all have completely different atoms are helium,

silver, neon, sodium, chlorine, iodine, iron, silicon, nitrogen, gold, tin,

copper, nickel, mercury, aluminum, lead, calcium, and uranium.

All of these substances that have different kinds of atoms are called

"elements". All together, there are 92 different ones that are found in

nature. All other substances are called "compounds" ... they're made

of atoms of different elements. Things like salt, water, plastic, sugar,

and alcohol are all compounds, and there are thousands of other ones.

It's all pretty interesting. It's called "Chemistry".