- Material is a broad term for a chemical substance or mixture of substances that constitute an object.
- Materials are composed of atoms and molecules arranged in various configurations, which determine their properties and behaviour.
- Materials can have natural origins, such as wood, stone, and metals, or synthetic origins, such as polymers and ceramics. Materials can also be classified based on whether they are organic or inorganic.
- The properties of a material depend on its structure at different length scales, from atomic to macroscopic scales.
- Materials can be classified based on physical and chemical properties such as mechanical, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties.
- Materials are studied in materials science, a branch of engineering that focuses on structure, properties, and processing.