[Blanx (OP)]

Im not sure if there just bad terms or do they interact in the same way as normal energy and matter.

[evan_au]

The common thing about "dark matter" and "dark energy" is that we can't see them -

• Because they don't interact via the electromagnetic force, ie light, (plus the related radio waves and gamma rays).
• But there are many subatomic particles and force fields which don't interact via the electromagnetic force, so that doesn't narrow it down too much.

The contrasting thing about "dark matter" and "dark energy" is that

• Dark matter is thought to be some (as yet unclear) particle(s), which adds to the mass of galaxies, holding them together, and slowing the expansion of the universe.
• Dark energy is thought to be some  (as yet unclear) force field which actually accelerates the expansion of the universe
• Just because they are both unclear at this time does not mean that they are equal.
  In fact, these opposing properties suggest that they are something quite different
• A favoured theory at present is that dark energy [Correction: matter] is made up of some Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (or WIMPs), possibly some predicted by the supersymmetry theory of particle physics.

It is possible that the LHC may be able to produce some of these super-partners in the next few years (if they really do exist), and that might give us some more clues about what they are, and how they behave.

[imatfaal]

The common thing about "dark matter" and "dark energy" is that we can't see them -

• Because they don't interact via the electromagnetic force, ie light, (plus the related radio waves and gamma rays).
• But there are many subatomic particles and force fields which don't interact via the electromagnetic force, so that doesn't narrow it d

  own too much.

  But we can never see energy - we see things which have energy.  The dark in matter truly means dark; as Evans said it doesn't interact with light (other than via gravitational lensing) - we only know it is there because of the various gravitational interactions.  The dark in energy is a bit facetious - it is there to parallel dark matter and to be mysterious and unknown.

The contrasting thing about "dark matter" and "dark energy" is that

• Dark matter is thought to be some (as yet unclear) particle(s), which adds to the mass of galaxies, holding them together, and slowing the expansion of the universe.
• Dark energy is thought to be some  (as yet unclear) force field which actually accelerates the expansion of the universe
• Just because they are both unclear at this time does not mean that they are equal.
  In fact, these opposing properties suggest that they are something quite different

Yep

A favoured theory at present is that dark energy is made up of some Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (or WIMPs), possibly some predicted by the supersymmetry theory of particle physics.

  Nope - that would be dark matter :-)

It is possible that the LHC may be able to produce some of these super-partners in the next few years (if they really do exist), and that might give us some more clues about what they are, and how they behave.

  A lot of the energies that were candidates for super-symmetric particles have been cleared out - they will be very massive/energetic if they do exist

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