1. Mass: Matter has mass, meaning it has inertia and resists changes in motion. This is a measure of how much "stuff" is in an object.
2. Volume: Matter occupies space. This is the amount of three-dimensional space that a substance takes up.
3. Shape: Matter can exist in a variety of shapes. While solids have a definite shape, liquids and gases take the shape of their container.
4. Composition: Matter is made up of atoms and molecules. The arrangement and types of atoms determine the properties of the substance.
It's important to note that these characteristics can be further divided into other properties, such as:
* Density: The ratio of mass to volume.
* State: The physical form of matter (solid, liquid, gas, plasma).
* Temperature: A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles within the matter.
These are just some of the properties that define matter. Ultimately, matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
