The understanding of hydrogen containing one proton and lithium containing two protons stems from historical developments in chemistry and physics. Early scientists like Lavoisier began classifying elements, leading to the establishment of atomic theory. Mass measurements of nuclei evolved from weighing chemical compounds to using mass spectrometry for ions. Key contributions from Henry Moseley, who formulated Moseley's Law, and Ernest Rutherford, who identified the hydrogen nucleus, were crucial in defining atomic structure. The neutron's discovery in the early 1930s further refined the understanding of atomic composition, highlighting the complexities faced by physicists during that era.