What is the scientifically correct way to think of subatomic particles and the atom

[Achilles]

Are they fuzzy looking balls of energy. I know that they are excitation in their respective fields, but that doesn't help me to imagine it visually. I want to imagine how it looks according to current quantum theory.

[StringJunky]

1 hour ago, Achilles said:

Are they fuzzy looking balls of energy. I know that they are excitation in their respective fields, but that doesn't help me to imagine it visually. I want to imagine how it looks according to current quantum theory.

What things "look like" at that scale depends what you are using to look at them with. I think it's best to think of them in terms of their behavior rather than in visual terms. They are far below the resolution of optical light frequencies. They are combinations of forces, not things with solidity and form as we understand it at our macro-scale.

Edited August 21, 2018 by StringJunky