The size of subatomic particles such as protons and electrons is not solely determined by the number of constituent quarks they possess. The size of a particle is a complex concept in quantum physics and is not directly related to the number of quarks it contains.
Protons and electrons are fundamentally different particles with distinct properties. Protons are composite particles made up of three quarks (two up quarks and one down quark), while electrons are elementary particles and are not composed of smaller constituents. Quarks are considered to be point-like particles, meaning they do not have a well-defined size.
The size of a particle is often described by its "charge radius," which represents the spatial distribution of the particle's charge. The charge radius of a proton is indeed larger than that of an electron, but this size difference is not solely due to the number of quarks.
The larger size of a proton can be attributed to several factors, including the strong interaction between its constituent quarks. The strong nuclear force, mediated by particles called gluons, binds the quarks together within the proton. This force generates a complex internal structure for the proton, resulting in a larger effective size.
On the other hand, electrons are elementary particles and are not subject to the strong nuclear force. They are influenced by the electromagnetic force, which is different in nature from the strong force that binds quarks. Electrons are considered point-like particles with no internal structure or subcomponents.
Therefore, while protons contain more quarks than electrons, their larger size is a consequence of the complex interplay of the strong nuclear force between the quarks and other factors related to the particles' nature and properties.