An exotic particle is a kind of theoretical particle said to exist by some areas of modern physics, and whose alleged properties are extremely unusual.

The best-known example is probably the tachyon, a theoretical particle that always travels faster than light.^[1][2]

All particles have an intrinsic spin associated with the angular momentum of the particle. Whereas more common particles have spins of value 1/2, 1 and 0, some exotic particles (such as the Omega negative) has spin = 3/2.^[3]

Another example of this would be supersymmetry. A theoretical set of super heavy versions of known particles (this is also one of the proposed candidates for dark matter, though the Axion solution seems to be supported more by current evidence) ^[4]

Exotic particles are frequently featured in science fiction, either those with real-world academic backing, or entirely fictional.

[edit] References

1. ^ Feinberg, Gerald (1997). "Tachyon". Encyclopedia Americana. 26. Grolier. p. 210. 
2. ^ Feinberg, Gerald (1967). "Possibility of Faster-Than-Light Particles". Physical Review 159: 1089–1105. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.159.1089. 
3. ^ Particle Data Group. "2006 Review of Particle Physics - Ω⁻". http://pdg.lbl.gov/2007/listings/s024.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-20. 
4. ^ Lykken, Joseph D. (1996). "Introduction to Supersymmetry". arΧiv:hep-th/9612114 [hep-th]. 

[edit] External links

• Ma, E. (1999). "Probing the Exotic Particle Content Beyond the Standard Model". European Physical Journal C 8: 301. doi:10.1007/s100529901068. arΧiv:hep-ph/9808484. 

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