More detail
Inside the VPC, your instance only knows its private IP. The internet gateway translates between the public IP and the private one. A normal public IP changes when an instance stops and starts. An Elastic IP stays fixed.
Public IP address
An address the whole internet can reach.
Think of it as: A street address printed on the outside of the building.
What to know for Level 0
- A normal public IP is released when an instance stops, and a new one is given when it starts. An Elastic IP stays fixed.