Music Theory · Time Signatures & Beat

Both 4/4 and 2/2 add up to a whole note of music per measure — so what actually makes them different?

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More in Time Signatures & Beat

In a time signature, which note value does a bottom number of 2 indicate gets one beat?
In a 2-beat measure (such as 2/4), what is the strong/weak pattern?
What does it mean that 4/4, 3/4 and 2/2 are all "simple" meters (mesures simples)?
In a time signature, what does the TOP number tell you?
In a time signature, what does the BOTTOM number tell you?
Why is the whole note the reference for reading the bottom number of a time signature?