Can you name examples of matter? It’s easy, once you understand what matter is (and is not). Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Any object you can touch, taste, or smell is an example of matter.
Examples of Matter
Elements and compounds are pure forms of matter. All living things are examples of matter. So are non-living things and man-made objects. Matter exists as solids, liquids, and gases and can change forms.
- A person
- A pet
- Insects
- A tree
- Bacteria
- Gold
- Oxygen
- Air
- Clouds
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Snow
- Jupiter
- The Sun
- Wood
- A cake
- Paper
- Ice cream
- A computer
- A table
- Paint
- Glass
- Plastic
- A shirt
- Blood
- Steel
- Sand
- The ocean
How to Tell Matter and Non Matter Apart
You observe many things which are not matter. This is because matter can be converted into energy, which does not have mass or volume. Light, heat, sound, emotions, and rainbows are not matter. Some objects consist of both matter and energy, like the Sun. You can’t rely on the senses of sight and hearing to detect matter. But, if you can weigh, touch, taste, or smell something, then it is an example of matter.
Reference
- de Podesta, M. (2002). Understanding the Properties of Matter (2nd ed.). CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-415-25788-6.