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Philosophically , matter constitutes the formless substratum of all things, which exists only potentially and from which reality is produced. In the sense of Content , matter is also used in contrast to Form . MATTER IN SCIENCE In Physics , matter is everything that is constituted of Elementary Fermion s. Matter occupies Space and has Mass . It is composed predominantly of Atom s, which consist of Proton s, Neutron s, and Electron s. All Gauge Boson s (of which the Photon is one), which mediate the Four Fundamental Forces , are not considered matter, even though they certainly have Energy and also some mass. Matter thus consists of Quark s and Lepton s. There are six types of quarks (strange, charm, top, bottom, up, and down) which combine to form Hadron s, primarily Baryon s and Meson s, through the Strong Interaction and are actually thought to always be Confined . Among the baryons are the proton and the neutron, which further combine to form the Nuclei of all Element s of the Periodic Table . Usually these nuclei are surrounded by a cloud of Electron s. A nucleus with as many electrons as protons, which is thus electrically neutral, is called an Atom , otherwise it is an Ion . In Bulk , matter can exist in several different Phase s, according to Particle Density and Energy Density or alternatively Pressure and Temperature . These phases include Gas es, Plasma s, Liquid s, Fluid s, Superfluid s, Solid s, and Bose-Einstein Condensate s. As circumstances change, matter may change from one phase into another. These phenomena are called Phase Transition s, and their energetics are studied in the field of Thermodynamics . In small quantities, matter can exhibit properties that are entirely different from those of bulk material. Homogeneous matter has a definite composition and properties and any amount of it has the same composition and properties. It may be a mixture, such as Brass , or elemental, like pure Iron . Heterogeneous matter, such as Granite , does not have a definite composition. In Chemistry , matter is often restricted to Chemical Substance s, as elementary particles such as quarks and leptons are not known to participate in Chemical Reactions . SEE ALSO
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