Editing Talk:Particle (section)

== How is [[particle]] different from [[point particle]]? ==

Ok I can't figure out what this article is about. We have [[point particle]] which is what I find in classical mechanics sources, so it is evidently not that. The sources here are all over the map:
* AMS Glossary: {{tq|An aggregation of sufficiently many atoms or molecules that it can be assigned macroscopic properties such as volume, density, pressure, and temperature. But sometimes by particle, without qualification, is meant a subatomic particle such as the proton or neutron (which themselves are composed of other “elementary particles”) or the electron.}}
* OED: irrelevant 
* Soil mechanics:?
* Sears & Zemansky: basically a point particle. They define it a bodies without rotation. But then we can't have composite particles, or soil for that matter.

Should this be [[WP:Broad concept]] article? [[User:Johnjbarton|Johnjbarton]] ([[User talk:Johnjbarton|talk]]) 02:21, 9 March 2026 (UTC)

:A chunk of metal can be treated as a particle. A chunk of metal is evidentally not truly punctual, even if it can be treated for many purposes as point-like. &#32;<span style="font-variant:small-caps; whitespace:nowrap;">[[User:Headbomb|Headbomb]] {[[User talk:Headbomb|t]] · [[Special:Contributions/Headbomb|c]] · [[WP:PHYS|p]] · [[WP:WBOOKS|b]]}</span> 03:27, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
::I don't understand how your comment is related to my question. I understand the concepts. My question is what concept is this article reporting on? 
::However, perhaps my question answered itself: the contradictions in the sources are a message. I plan to change the article to explicitly cover all concepts "particle", in size order. Maybe starting with galaxies just for fun. [[User:Johnjbarton|Johnjbarton]] ([[User talk:Johnjbarton|talk]]) 14:46, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
:::Yeah it does sound like this article needs someone to be bold and take the reigns. Are these the same issues that led to it to being brought to AfD in {{Section link|nopage=y|Talk:Particle#No unifying topic}}? [[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 19:53, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
:::"My question is what concept is this article reporting on?" The very general concept of particle, i.e. small localized objects in a larger context. From shrapnel, to dust, to powders, to molecules, atoms and subatomics particles (as well as larger particles, like people in a crowd, stars in a galaxy etc...). Basically what you tell a K-12 kid that a particle is when they encounter the particle theory of matter. Or whatever you mean when you say silt has a particle size of roughly 5-60 &mu;m. &#32;<span style="font-variant:small-caps; whitespace:nowrap;">[[User:Headbomb|Headbomb]] {[[User talk:Headbomb|t]] · [[Special:Contributions/Headbomb|c]] · [[WP:PHYS|p]] · [[WP:WBOOKS|b]]}</span> 19:58, 9 March 2026 (UTC)