Density of a subatomic particle

[texasratt]

Can this be measured? ie - "What's the density of a proton?" If so, what exactly are we measuring?

If not, at what point does density as a concept break down?

Apologies if this needed to be under the "Classical" forum.

 

[Bob_for_short]

No, OK for proton. Proton has a certain size, volume and mass, so the notion of its density is correct. Neutron stars are larger but have similar density.

 

[Entropia]

I can provide a response to the question of the density of a subatomic particle. In general, the concept of density refers to the amount of mass per unit volume of a substance. However, when it comes to subatomic particles such as protons, the concept of density becomes a bit more complicated.

First of all, subatomic particles are incredibly small and have very little mass compared to larger objects, such as rocks or even atoms. This means that their density is extremely high, making it difficult to measure using traditional methods. Additionally, subatomic particles are constantly moving and interacting with other particles, making it even more challenging to accurately measure their density.

That being said, there are ways to estimate the density of a subatomic particle such as a proton. The most common method is to use the mass and size of the particle to calculate its density. However, this is still an approximation and may not give an exact value.

At a certain point, the concept of density may break down when dealing with subatomic particles. This is because at the subatomic level, the very concepts of mass and volume become uncertain due to the principles of quantum mechanics. Therefore, trying to measure the density of a subatomic particle becomes increasingly difficult and may not yield meaningful results.

In summary, while it is possible to estimate the density of a subatomic particle such as a proton, the concept of density as we know it may break down at the subatomic level due to the uncertainty and complexity of quantum mechanics.