what is matter

Matter is a substance that occupies physical space and has mass. It is anything that has weight and takes up space. Matter is composed of various types of particles, including elementary particles called quarks and leptons, which combine into protons and neutrons, and electrons, which form atoms of the elements of the periodic table. All everyday objects that can be touched are ultimately composed of atoms. Matter has two fundamental properties: volume and mass. Volume refers to the space an object takes up, while mass refers to how much "stuff" is in an object. Matter can be classified into different states, such as solid, liquid, and gas, depending on the physical conditions. Matter is essential to the observable universe and forms the basis of all objective phenomena.