What is the size of elementary particles?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the sizes of elementary particles and how they are represented on a scale of the universe. It is mentioned that elementary particles are thought to be dimensionless, but the sizes shown on the scale are based on their Compton wavelength or classical electron radius.
  • #1
Vampyr
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"Size" of elemetary particles

I stumbled upon this nice link showing the universe at different scales: http://htwins.net/scale2/

However, if you scroll down to the attometer scale you get to the elementary particles which have been given sizes. Does anyone know what these sizes mean? I thought elementary particles were dimensionless and so have no strict size.
 
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  • #2
I'd guess it either refers to something similar to a "classical electron radius" or it uses their wavefunction to determine the volume of space they are likely to occupy and base the size on that.
 
  • #3
Vampyr said:
I stumbled upon this nice link showing the universe at different scales: http://htwins.net/scale2/ However, if you scroll down to the attometer scale you get to the elementary particles which have been given sizes. Does anyone know what these sizes mean? I thought elementary particles were dimensionless and so have no strict size.
You're correct. Apparently what he's diagramming here is the Compton wavelength for each particle, ħ/mc. Of the six quarks, the top quark has the greatest rest mass, hence the shortest Compton wavelength. Electron (classical) is the classical electron radius, e2/mc2.
 
  • #4
Thank you!
 

What are elementary particles?

Elementary particles are the smallest building blocks of matter and are considered to be the fundamental units of the universe. They cannot be broken down into smaller components and are classified into two categories: fermions and bosons.

What is the size of elementary particles?

The size of elementary particles is incredibly small, with most particles having a diameter of less than 0.000000000001 millimeters. To put this into perspective, a single atom is approximately 100,000 times larger than an elementary particle.

How do scientists measure the size of elementary particles?

Scientists use various techniques to measure the size of elementary particles, including scattering experiments and particle accelerators. These methods involve colliding particles at high speeds and analyzing the resulting collisions to determine the size of the particles.

Do all elementary particles have the same size?

No, not all elementary particles have the same size. The size of a particle can vary depending on its mass, charge, and other physical properties. For example, a proton is significantly larger than an electron.

Can elementary particles be seen with a microscope?

No, elementary particles cannot be seen with a microscope. They are too small to be observed using any type of magnification. However, scientists can indirectly study these particles through experiments and calculations.

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