matter

matter, anything that has mass and occupies space. Matter is sometimes called koinomatter (Gr. koinos=common) to distinguish it from antimatter, or matter composed of antiparticles.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• The Relationship of Matter and Energy
• Physical and Chemical Changes
• Modern Theory of Matter
• Early Theories of Matter
• The States of Matter
• The Properties of Matter
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2025, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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