Atoms and particles can't be easily classified as either "hard" or "soft" because these terms refer to macroscopic objects rather than individual particles. However, I can provide some information about the properties of atoms and particles that relate to their behavior and interactions.
Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter, consisting of a nucleus (composed of protons and neutrons) surrounded by orbiting electrons. Atoms are generally considered to be "hard" in the sense that they have a well-defined structure and exhibit resistance to deformation under normal circumstances.
Particles, on the other hand, can refer to various subatomic particles such as electrons, protons, neutrons, and fundamental particles like quarks or leptons. These particles are typically classified as point-like particles, which means they are considered to have no internal structure and are not composed of smaller parts. From this perspective, they can be thought of as "hard."
However, it is important to note that the concept of hardness or softness is typically associated with the macroscopic behavior of materials and objects. When it comes to individual atoms and particles, their behavior is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, and they may exhibit wave-particle duality and other quantum phenomena.
In certain circumstances, such as in particle collisions or high-energy physics experiments, particles can exhibit properties that may be described as "soft" in the sense that they can deform or scatter in interactions. For example, in particle accelerators, particles can collide and scatter off each other, demonstrating their interactions and non-rigid behavior.
In summary, atoms and particles have specific properties and behaviors at the quantum level, but the concepts of hardness and softness are more commonly applied to macroscopic objects rather than individual particles.