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Reference.org
Exotic atom
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<p>An exotic atom is an otherwise normal <a href="/facts/Atom/FoQ4kGN5">atom</a> in which one or more sub-atomic particles have been replaced by other particles. For example, <a href="/facts/Electron/L0KBo5cW">electrons</a> may be replaced by other negatively charged particles such as <a href="/facts/Muon/BP2fLVIR">muons</a> (muonic atoms) or <a href="/facts/Pion/x5HamzG3">pions</a> (pionic atoms). 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. </p>