The nuclear Regulatory Commission's scientific research 101: What is Matter?

*
Everything that exists is comprised of matter. Matter has actually two basic properties: volume and also mass. Volume simply refers come the space an object takes up. Relying on the physical state of an object, there space a pair ways to measure volume. If we space trying to measure up the volume of a box, for instance, we would multiply the length of the box by that is height and also by that width.

You are watching: The quantity of matter in an object

Let's say that we have actually a box with the adhering to dimensions: size = 3 meters ("m"), elevation = 4m, and also width = 5m. Based upon those dimensions, our box would have a volume the 60m3 (3m x 4m x 5m = 60m3). The is, again, a measure up (in cubic meters) of how much three-dimensional an are our box takes up.

If, ~ above the other hand, ours object was a liquid, we can use a graduated cylinder (a clinical measuring cup) to measure the volume of ours object. This measure would certainly be report in liters. Again, a liter is simply a measure up of how much an are a fluid takes up. Because that example, you have the right to purchase soda in 2-liter bottles.

Since we've been talk a small about measurements, it could make feeling at this allude to distinguish between quantity and also units. Thinking again about our example, the quantity we are trying to measure is volume. The unit we usage to report this measurement is in liters or cubic meters.

.

*
Now, let's currently talk about the other fundamental property of issue — mass. As soon as we talk around mass, we space referring to exactly how much "stuff" is in an object. To highlight this, think around two piece of candy, both that the same kind and also both the very same size, but one of them is hollow. The candy the isn't hollow has more mass contrasted to the hole candy. Provided that we frequently use scale to measure mass, you might think that mass and also weight are the exact same thing. Yet they aren't. Fixed is the measure up of issue in a particular object. No issue where the object is in the large universe, that will have actually the very same mass.

Weight, top top the other hand, is a measure of exactly how much gravitational force is exerted on an object. While the load of things is proportional come its mass (the an ext mass of an object the more it will weigh), gravity varies according by wherein you space in the world or also where you room on Earth—you actually sweet more, because there is a higher gravitational force, top top the poles 보다 you would at the equator. So, while an object will have actually a certain weight right here on Earth, it will certainly not have actually the same weight ~ above the moon. That would, however, have the very same mass both places.

Now the we have the right to determine if other is matter (if it has actually volume and also mass), we can use an additional measurement, density, to recognize what type of matter a substance is. Density is the proportion of just how much massive is in things compared come the volume of the object. Density is calculate by splitting an object's mass by that volume.

Think back to ours box with a volume of 60m3. Let's say that our box has actually a mass of 240 grams (g). If that were the case, the thickness of our box would be 4 g/m3 (240g / 60m3). Thickness is nothing more than a means of stating how much matter fits in ~ a certain volume. Using the 2 pieces that candy, while both have actually the same size (or volume), the hard one has more mass when compared to the hollow one and, together such, the solid liquid is an ext dense (more matter in a particular volume) than the hole candy.

See more: Convert 2 Feet 11 Inches In Inches In Cm, What Is 2 Feet 11 Inches In Centimeters

Because the density of a details substance (something with a defined composition, such together pure copper), is the exact same for all piece of the substance, regardless of size, density is often valuable in determining the identification of a certain object. As soon as we've calculated the thickness of one object, we have the right to compare that worth to the known densities for substances to recognize what problem we think the object is.