What is Matter? - Definition, Examples, Quiz, FAQ, Trivia
Discover the building blocks that make up everything in our universe!
What is Matter?
Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Everything you can see, touch, or feel is made of matter - your desk, the air you breathe, even you!
Matter is all around us and comes in many different forms. Scientists define matter by two important properties: it has mass (which we measure with scales) and volume (which means it takes up space).
The only things that aren't matter are forms of energy like light, heat, and sound. These don't have mass or take up space in the same way that matter does.
Matter Fact!
About 99% of your body is made of just six types of atoms: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus!
States of Matter
Matter exists in different states, and the three most common ones are solid, liquid, and gas. These states depend on how the particles in matter are arranged and how they move.
Solids
Have definite shape and volume. Particles are packed tightly together and vibrate in place.
Liquids
Have definite volume but take the shape of their container. Particles can slide past each other.
Gases
No definite shape or volume. Particles move freely and spread out to fill their container.
Matter can change from one state to another when we add or remove heat energy. For example, when ice (solid) is heated, it melts into water (liquid). When water is heated further, it evaporates into water vapor (gas).
There are other states of matter too, like plasma (found in stars) and Bose-Einstein condensates (created in laboratories), but these are less common in our everyday experience.
Properties of Matter
All matter has properties that we can observe and measure. These properties help us identify, classify, and understand different types of matter.
Mass
The amount of matter in an object. Measured in grams or kilograms using a scale.
Volume
The amount of space matter takes up. Measured in liters or cubic centimeters.
Density
How much mass is in a certain volume of matter. Calculated as mass divided by volume.
Other properties of matter include:
• Color - what we see when light reflects off matter
• Texture - how matter feels (smooth, rough, bumpy)
• Hardness - how difficult it is to scratch matter
• Magnetism - whether matter is attracted to magnets
• Solubility - whether matter dissolves in water
These properties help scientists identify substances and understand how they will behave in different situations.
Atoms & Molecules
All matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter - they're so small that millions of them could fit on the head of a pin!
When atoms join together, they form molecules. For example, two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom combine to form a water molecule (H₂O).
Atoms
The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element
Elements
Substances made of only one type of atom (like gold, oxygen, or carbon)
Molecules
Groups of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds
Compounds
Substances made of two or more different types of atoms (like water or salt)
There are about 118 different types of atoms known to science, and these are organized on the Periodic Table of Elements. Each element has its own unique properties.
The way atoms are arranged and connected determines the properties of matter. For example, both graphite and diamonds are made of carbon atoms, but they have very different properties because their atoms are arranged differently!
Atomic Fact!
Atoms are mostly empty space! If an atom were the size of a football stadium, the nucleus would be the size of a marble in the center, and the electrons would be like tiny specks whizzing around the outer seats.
Matter Quiz
Test your knowledge about matter with this quiz! Answer all 5 questions to see how much you've learned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about matter:
Fun Matter Trivia
Discover some amazing facts about matter!
Stardust Origins
Nearly all the atoms in your body were once inside stars! The elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were created in stars that exploded long before our solar system formed.
Water's Special Properties
Water is unusual because its solid form (ice) is less dense than its liquid form. That's why ice floats! This special property helps protect aquatic life during winter.
Air Has Weight
Although we can't see it, air has mass and takes up space. The air in an average-sized classroom weighs about the same as a small car!
Mostly Empty Space
If you removed all the empty space from the atoms that make up all humans on Earth, the entire human race would fit into a sugar cube! Atoms are mostly empty space.
