[AnthonyMouse]

Lithium and cobalt are both elements. Getting them to be something else would require a nuclear reaction.

[mypalmike]

I would presume the question was about the physical and chemical state of the lithium rather than the atomic makeup. Like whether the lithium is ionized, whether it's a powder or crystallized solid, etc.

[bluGill]

Both chemically combine with other atoms to form molecules - that is how a battery works. If they combine with the wrong thing it can be a lot harder to separate them again (not nuclear level, but harder)