Antimatter

Yin and Yang, the symbol of antimatter.

**Antimatter** is a form of matter that is electromagnetically opposite to n-matter, but otherwise has equal properties. Antimatter exists in nature in minute amounts, primarily in the form of atoms made from a nucleus of antiquark-based antiprotons and antineutrons, surrounded by positrons instead of electrons.

Due to the fact that the component particles of antimatter are electromagnetically opposite to those of n-matter, they are attracted to one another and undergo annihilation upon contact, converting all of their mass into energy. Due to this, if antimatter comes into contact with n-matter, the two destroy each other, releasing an enormous amount of energy.

## History

Antimatter was created during Genesis, in the form of antiquarks and antileptons. During the first 200 seconds following the beginning of Genesis, n-matter and antimatter coalesced to form atoms in roughly equal amounts. The vast majority of atoms subsequently underwent annihilation. However, there were approximately 1,000,000,001 atoms of n-matter for every 1,000,000,000 atoms of antimatter, resulting in a minority of the n-matter atoms surviving Genesis to form nebulae, galaxies and eventually stars. Antimatter, by contrast, was completely eliminated from the Universe (although various processes have since regenerated small amounts).

## Synthesis

Antimatter can be synthesized through complex means. Because they made of the antiparticles of normal matter, antimatter atoms are stable and require no help from ligism or equilism to maintain their structure. They are also capable of forming chemical compounds indistinguishable to those formed from n-matter.

However, any contact between matter and antimatter results in the conversion of both into pure energy, often in shocking quantities. A single kilogram of antimatter coming into contact with regular matter would result in an explosion almost as large as the Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated. Due to this, antimatter is very difficult to store. Ionized antimatter can be stored using magnetic fields. The most efficient way to store antimatter is using tractism. Polyhadron shells can also be used to store antimatter, the advantage of these being that polyhadron shells are self sustaining as long as they retain ligism, and thus do not require any external power source, and are much more stable than tractism.

## Uses

Antimatter is often used as a fuel for spacecraft, due to the immense quantities of energy small amounts of it can unleash, energy that can be used to generate thrust or power faster than light technology. The disadvantage of antimatter is the danger it poses. Any small fault in the containment system can bring antimatter into contact with n-matter, causing an explosion large enough to obliterate the spacecraft. This problem can be solved by generating antimatter on site, or by packaging it in polyhadron shells.

Antimatter can also be used as a weapon, with small, portable quantities of it capable of unleashing orders of magnitude more energy than conventional nuclear weapons, with the added bonus of antimatter bombs being extremely easy to detonate, simply by allowing the antimatter to touch n-matter.

The term antimatter covers all substances made from antiparticles (antiquarks and antileptons) and thus covers a huge variety of substances. All of the chemical elements, chemical compounds and larger structures made using n-matter can be made using antimatter. However, due to the scarcity of antimatter and the dangers associated with bringing n-matter into contact with it, this is rarely done.