Matter in science is defined as anything that has mass and occupies space by having volume

. It constitutes the material substance of the observable universe and, along with energy, forms the basis of all physical phenomena

Composition of Matter

• Matter is fundamentally composed of elementary particles called quarks and leptons

• Quarks combine to form protons and neutrons, while leptons include electrons.
• These particles combine to form atoms, the basic building blocks of matter.
• Atoms can combine into molecules and compounds, which make up the bulk matter we encounter daily

States of Matter

Matter exists in various states or phases, including:

• Solids: Have a definite shape and volume.
• Liquids: Have a definite volume but take the shape of their container.
• Gases: Have neither definite shape nor volume and expand to fill their container.
• Plasma: Ionized gas with unique energetic properties, found in stars like the sun

Additional Notes

• Matter excludes massless particles like photons and energy phenomena such as light or heat

• The property of matter occupying space is explained by quantum principles such as the Pauli exclusion principle, which prevents identical fermions from occupying the same state, effectively causing matter to take up space

• Matter can be transformed through chemical reactions where atoms combine into new compounds with different properties from their constituent elements

In summary, matter is the substance that makes up all physical objects, characterized by having mass and volume, composed of atoms and elementary particles, and existing in multiple states such as solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.