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.
Related diagrams

Each diagram below can be viewed on its own page with a full explanation.

References