Exotic atom

An exotic atom is an otherwise normal atom in which one or more sub-atomic particles have been replaced by other particles of the same charge. For example, electrons may be replaced by other negatively charged particles such as muons (muonic atoms) or pions (pionic atoms).[1][2] Because these substitute particles are usually unstable, exotic atoms typically have very short lifetimes and no exotic atom observed so far can persist under normal conditions.

  1. ^ §1.8, Constituents of Matter: Atoms, Molecules, Nuclei and Particles, Ludwig Bergmann, Clemens Schaefer, and Wilhelm Raith, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1997, ISBN 3-11-013990-1.
  2. ^ Hartmann, Joachim (January 2000). "Exotic atoms". AccessScience. McGraw-Hill. doi:10.1036/1097-8542.YB000560. Archived from the original on 2007-12-22. Retrieved September 26, 2007.

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