system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Depictions of atomic nuclei often show distinct and individual protons and neutrons, is this accurate?

The model I’ve seen most often shows protons and neutrons packed together in the nucleus like marbles. Is it correct to say that while in a nucleus, protons and neutrons maintain their distinct properties (size, shape, mass, etc.)? Or would a better model be akin to smushing/mixing together balls of Play-Doh?

Or put another way, do subatomic particles experience collision/volume like mass at a macroscopic scale (or does another force provide a similar property)? My understanding is that collision as we experience it is a result of electromagnetic forces.
gpt
> Is it correct to say that while in a nucleus, protons and neutrons maintain their distinct properties (size, shape, mass, etc.)?

That is a good approximation. You can describe nuclei as collection of protons and neutrons occupying states in potential wells which are given by the overall distribution itself. This leads to a volume that's roughly proportional to the number of nucleons.