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exotic atom

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exotic atom

[ik¦säd·ik ′ad·əm]
(atomic physics)
A system in which either the proton that forms the nucleus of a hydrogen atom is replaced by another particle (such as a muon, to form muonium, or a positron, to form positronium), one electron in an ordinary atom is replaced by another particle (such as a muon, pion, or antiproton), or both substitutions are made (as in antihydrogen).
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive
It is possible to define the unmatter in a more general way, using the exotic atom.
The high-energy protons shattered the atoms in the block, producing a cornucopia of exotic atoms that included radon-220 and radium-224.
Washington, May 9 ( ANI ): A team of physicists has found the first direct evidence of pear shaped nuclei in exotic atoms.
Plus, the ATRAP team took another step: They used an electric field to pry apart the exotic atoms' positrons and antiprotons.
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