Problem #1: Defining Matter [Solved]

Daniel Iyamuremye -

Chemistry is the Science of Matter.

Question: How do you define matter?

Give examples of something that is matter, and something real but that is not considered as matter.

Solution:

Matter is anything that has the following properties:

  • It has a mass, meaning it can be weighed.
  • It occupies a portion of space, that is, it has a volume.

Example:

Water and air are matter because they have a mass and occupy a volume, but heat and light are not matter because they have no mass and don’t occupy any volume.

Note: Visibility is not a criteria to define matter. Air is not visible yet it is a matter, light is visible but it is not a matter.