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Matter Definition

Matter is anything that takes up space and has weight. For example, air is matter filling space as a gas.

View Lesson on Solids, Liquids and Gases
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Solids, Liquids and Gases

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Matter comes in different forms: solids, liquids and gases.
  • Everything around us is made of matter - cars, trees, food, air.
  • Things that are not matter include songs, feelings and dreams.

Why Do We Need To Know About Matter

Learning about matter helps us understand our world. Matter is in everything, like the air and our food. Matter is important for jobs in environmental science, healthcare, cooking, and car design.

Knowing how matter works is important for creating new materials, making sure food and drinks are good, designing better packaging, and improving space technology. This knowledge gets students ready for real life problems and chances to succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What state of matter is slime? How do you know?
Slime doesn’t keep its shape, so it’s a liquid.
What is different about a liquid and a solid?
A solid keeps its shape while a liquid takes the shape of its container.
Why isn’t a dream made of matter?
It doesn’t take up space or have weight.
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