Matter

Matter is anything that has mass and energy and occupies space by virtue of having volume.

  • Matter is the substance that makes up all physical objects and substances in the universe, including solids, liquids, and gases.
  • Matter is made up of atoms, which may combine to form molecules. Atoms in turn consist of subatomic particles such as protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  • Subatomic particles have mass and may have energy.
  • Matter can undergo physical and chemical changes, but the total amount of matter in a closed system remains constant (Law of Conservation of Matter). This means that matter cannot be created or destroyed in chemical reactions, only transformed into different forms.
  • Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, which does not have mass and is not considered matter.
  • light interacts with matter (e.g., through absorption, reflection, and transmission), but is not composed of particles with mass.
  • Einstein’s equation E=MC2 suggests that mass and energy are interchangeable and one can be converted to the other.
  • Mass-energy equivalence means that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa, as demonstrated in nuclear reactions and particle interactions.