Antimatter
In short
Antimatter consists of particles that have the same mass as ordinary matter but carry opposite electric charges. When a particle meets its corresponding antiparticle, they annihilate each other and release pure energy.
In plain words
Everything we see is made of matter. Antimatter is a mirror version where the electrical charges are flipped. If they touch, they both vanish in a flash of energy.
A simple example
An electron is a common particle of matter with a negative charge. A positron is its antimatter twin, which carries a positive charge.
Why it matters
It helps scientists understand why the universe exists instead of being empty. It is also used in medical tools like PET scans to detect diseases in the body.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse antimatter with dark matter, which is a different mysterious substance that does not interact with light.