Matter and Mass

Everything in the world, from the air we breathe to the food we eat and even the stars, is made of matter. It shapes our surroundings, bodies, and the universe itself.

Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass. The amount of matter in a substance is measured using a balance, with kilograms as the SI unit.

Imagine a melon and a 1-kilogram iron weight balancing evenly on a scale—meaning their masses are equal. But if the melon's side rises on the balance, its mass is less than 1 kilogram.

Mass is often confused with weight. While they are closely related, they measure different things.

You feel the weight when gravity, which is an invisible pulling force, acts on an object. It depends not only on an object's mass but also on the strength of the gravity.

Imagine a rock on Earth. If you carry it to the Moon, its weight would be less due to the Moon's weaker gravity, but its mass would remain the same.