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What is antimatter?

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Quick answer

Antimatter is a kind of matter made of particles that mirror ordinary ones but with opposite charge. When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate in a burst of energy. It's real, made in labs, and central to deep questions about the universe.

Key things to understand

  1. Its particles mirror normal matter but with opposite charge.
  2. Matter and antimatter annihilate on contact, releasing energy.
  3. Tiny amounts are produced in particle accelerators.
  4. Why the universe has so little antimatter is a major mystery.

People also ask

What is antimatter?
Matter made of particles with the opposite charge of ordinary particles, like the positron mirroring the electron.
What happens when matter meets antimatter?
They annihilate each other, converting their mass into a burst of pure energy.
Is antimatter real?
Yes — scientists create and study tiny amounts in particle accelerators, and it's used in PET medical scans.