Matter

Generally matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. This means it is distinct from energy, light or sound, which have neither property.

The structure of matter- At the most fundamental level, matter is made up of elementary particles, such as quarks and electrons. Combinations of elementary particles form atoms, which may sometimes be bonded together into molecules. The types of atom that make up the matter determine its properties. If the atoms or molecules form strong bonds with each other, the material is solid at room temperature. Weaker bonds lead to liquids and gases. 

Elementary particles- Elementary particles known as quarks make up protons and neutrons in atoms. Gluons hold the quarks together in the nucleus. Along with electrons, quarks and gluons make up all known matter. 

Atom- Atoms contain protons and neutrons in the nucleus with electrons orbiting around. Atoms of different elements have different numbers of protons in their nuclei. 

Molecule- Molecules can be made of different atoms, like water, which consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, or of identical atoms, like an oxygen molecule, which consists of two oxygen atoms.  

Atoms can combine in a huge variety of ways to produce different types of matter. When atoms are bonded together chemically. Compounds are formed. Examples include water, a compound formed from oxygen and hygroden. However, many atoms and molecules do not form bonds easily with others, so combining them does not chnage them chemically - we call what results a mixture. Mixtures include sand and salt,or air, which is a mixture of gases. 

Mixture- In mixtures, the orignal chemicals are not changed, so they can be seperated out again physically, for example, by sieving filtering, or distillation. 

Compound- When atoms or molecules react, they form a new compound. They cannot be returned to their orignal forms physically; seperating them requires breaking chemical bonds. 

About 99 percent of all matter in the universe is in the form of plasma. 

The conservation of mass- During most ordinary chemical reactions or physical changes ( such as when a candel burns ), the mass of the products equals the mass of the reactants. No matter is lost or gained. However, this "law" can be broken in certain extreme conditions, such as nuclear fusion reactions in which mass is converted into energy. 

The main states of matter encountered in everyday life are solid, liquid and gas. Other, more unusual states also exist, when matter becomes extremely cold or hot. Matter  can change between the various states, depending on how much energy it has and the strength of the bonds between its constituent atoms or molecules. For example, aluminium has a lower melting point than copper because it has weaker bonds between its atoms. Solid-  Atoms or molecules in solids are held in a rigid structure with strong bonds. The particles cannot move, so solids feel hard and keep their shape. Liquids- Atoms or molecules in liquids have only weak bonds between them,  so the particles can move around. This means liquids can flow, but tight packing of the particles prevents, them from being compressed. Gas- There are no bonds between the atoms or molecules in a gas, so they can spred out and fill their container. The particles are aslo far apart, so a gas can be compressed, although doing so increases the particles. 

High and low temperature states-  At very high temperatures, gas atoms split into ions and electrons, becoming plasma, which can conduct electricity. At low temperatures, bose- einstein condensates may form changing the properties of matter dramatically. In this state, the atoms start acting strangely, behaving like one single atoms. 

A soild is the most ordered state of matter. All of the atoms or molecules in a soild are connected together to form an object with a fixed shape and a fixed volume ( although the shape can be altered by applying force). However, solids encompass a diverse group of materials, and other properties can vary greatly, depending on the exact solid involved. 

The properties of solids                                                                                                        Solids have a wide variety of properties; for examples  they may be strong or weak, hard or relatively soft, and may return to their orignal shape after having been subjected to force or may be permanently deformed. A solid material's properties depend on the atom or molecules that make it up, whether the soild is crystalline or amorphous, and whether or not there are defects in the material. 

What is a soild?

Solids are firm to touch and have a definite shape, rather than taking on the shape of their containers like liquids or gases. The atoms in solids are packed tightly together, so they cannot be compressed into a smaller volume. Soilds like sponges, can be squashed but that is because air is squeezed out of pockets in the material- the solid itself does not change size. 

A soild is the most ordered state of matter. All of the atoms or molecules in a soild are connected together to form an object with a fixed shape and a fixed volume ( although the shape can be altered by applying force). However, solids encompass a diverse group of materials, and other properties can vary greatly, depending on the exact solid involved. 

The properties of solids                                                                                                        Solids have a wide variety of properties; for examples  they may be strong or weak, hard or relatively soft, and may return to their orignal shape after having been subjected to force or may be permanently deformed. A solid material's properties depend on the atom or molecules that make it up, whether the soild is crystalline or amorphous, and whether or not there are defects in the material. 

What is a soild?

Solids are firm to touch and have a definite shape, rather than taking on the shape of their containers like liquids or gases. The atoms in solids are packed tightly together, so they cannot be compressed into a smaller volume. Soilds like sponges, can be squashed but that is because air is squeezed out of pockets in the material- the solid itself does not change size.