Basic Science

Matter: Concept of Matter

len Alfred Ajibola - 07th February, 2019 @ 11:15 AM

Topics in Basic Science

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Academic Questions in Basic Science

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

Which of the following diseases is associated with river blindness?

  • A. Anthrax

  • B. Lawnmower Disease

  • C. Onchocerciasis

  • D. Devil's Crunch

  • E. Trypanosomiasis

  • F. Tularemia

The vector for yellow fever is _____.

  • A. Aedes Mosquito

  • B. Female Anopheles Mosquito

  • C. Plasmodium

  • D. Flavivirus

  • E. Black Fly

  • F. Bacillus Anthracis

The bones of the head and face make up the skull. These bones are _____ in number.

  • A. 12

  • B. 14

  • C. 16

  • D. 18

  • E. 20

  • F. 22

Bacteria are not a constituent of our environment.

  • A. True

  • B. False

Below are types of drugs. Which of these is considered as pain killers?

  • A. Stimulants

  • B. Depressants

  • C. Opiods and Morphine Derivatives

  • D. Hallucinogens

  • E. Anabolic Steroids

  • F. Cannabinoids

Which of the following statement is false concerning drugs?

  • A. Drugs can be inhaled

  • B. Drugs can be injected directly into the bloodstream 

  • C. Drugs can be eaten

  • D. Drugs exist exclusively in the forms of tablets and syrups

  • E. Drugs can be placed under the tongue

  • F. Drugs can be taken with water or another liquid

Vaccination involves a process of introducing pathogens or germs into a person in order to prevent such person from the diseases they cause.

  • A. True

  • B. False

With regards to the human health, foreign bodies are best regarded as _____.

  • A. International bodies

  • B. Antilators

  • C. Antibodies

  • D. Antigens

  • E. Antibiotics

  • F. Antidotes



Concept of Matter:

Having a good understanding of matter will aid you to better comprehend chemistry and physics.

Matter is defined as anything that has mass and occupy space. Through this definition, we can conclude that matter has two main attributes, qualities or characteristics. These are:


1. Mass

Mass is the amount of matter you have or anything has. You may consider it to be the entire composition of anything. For instance, everything you are composed of (from the top of your hair to your toe nails, including all your internal organs) will account for your mass. For this reason, your mass would be significantly different from that of a newly born child.


To accurately account for the mass of humans, we will have to wear nothing on our body. This is so because our clothes, shoes and accessories will add to our mass since each of these is considered as a separate matter from our body: that is, they have their respective mass and occupy space as well.


It is worthy of note to state that mass is not the same thing as weight.

Please read more on mass versus weight here.


Meanwhile, you can also think of mass as the total composition of anything, both within (inside) and without (outside).

Using a cup of rice as an instance, its ideal mass will be attributed to all its entire composition; both within (rice) and without (cup).

Please read on molecular mass and its calculations here.


2. Space

Matter will always take up space no matter how small it is. This is true because some instances of matter can be microscopic (only be seen with the aid of a microscope). Viruses, bacteria and protists are examples of microscopic matter in this case.

You can read on protists and their characteristics here.


Regardless how small a thing is to the human eyes, they will still (always) occupy space. For this reason, the atmosphere is never empty, rather it's always filled with gases, bacteria, pathogens, dust and other tiny particles.

Please read on the composition and functions of the atmosphere here.


According to scientific research, there are approximately 100 billion bacteria on the human body. Although we can't even see any of these, they still take up (occupy) spaces on our skin.

Please read on amazing facts in biology here.

A space completely void of matter is referred to as a 'vacuum'. Vacuum environment do not exist naturally, rather they are prepared for medical and scientific reasons.


From the above explanations on matter, it can be summarized that matter is everything around us, both the things we can see and those we can't. In fact, you are matter yourself. No matter how small a thing can be (even if they are microscopic and can't be seen with the naked eyes), they will still always have mass and occupy space.


Matter exists in four states. They are:

  1. Solid
    Please read on solid state of matter here.
  2. Liquid
    Please read on liquid state of matter here.
  3. Gases
    You can read on gaseous state of matter here.
  4. Plasma

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Amazing facts in Basic Science

According to scientific research, if the first tear drop comes from the right eye, it’s tears of joy. If it comes from the left eye, then it is as a result of pain

Dentistry is the oldest profession in the world. This is considered true because a research conducted by the University of Bologna, Italy on a 14,000-year-old skull found that one rotten tooth in the jaw had been deliberately scoured and scraped with a dental tool

Scientific research has it that the human nose can distinguish more than a trillion different odors

Tiger fur and skin - Len Academy

Tigers have striped fur. So also is their skin

Red-Billed Quelea - Len Academy

The most common wild bird in the world is native to Africa, and it's the red-billed quelea with a population estimated to be around 1.5 billion

Of all animals, mosquitoes hold the record of killing most humans annually. They are responsible for the deaths of 725,000 - 1,000,000 persons yearly

Antibiotics fights and kills bacteria. However, they do nothing to a virus

All insects have six legs. However, dragonfly has six legs but can't walk

The chin is defined as the protruding part of the face below the mouth, formed by the apex of the lower lip. It is shown below:

Chin - Len Academy

Interestingly, humans are the only animals with chin

Cranberries - Len Academy

Ripe cranberries will bounce like a ball. For this reason, they are nicknamed 'bounceberries'. They will also float in water


Notable points in Basic Science

We have six classes of food. These are:

  1. Carbohydrates

  2. Proteins

  3. Fats and Oils

  4. Vitamins

  5. Mineral Salts

  6. Water

In humans, roughages are not classified as one of the classes of food. This is so because they aren't digested. Instead, roughages facilitate the movement of bowels in the large intestine (colon); and for this reason, they can become useful in treating constipation.

Food refers to anything that is ingested by living organisms, giving them nutrients and thus enabling them to stay alive.

As an instance, 99% of a panda's diet is bamboo. In this case, bamboo is considered as food to a panda since it provides a source of nutrient and keeps it alive. This is shown in the image below:

Panda eating bamboo - Len Academy

Please read more on food here

The only process in nature that actively enriches our atmosphere with oxygen is photosynthesis. Every other process like respiration, burning and combustion takes away oxygen from it. In addition, they introduce carbon(IV)oxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

Photosynthesis is also the only process that takes away carbon(IV)oxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

Photosynthesis is defined as a process by which green plants manufacture food by utilizing carbon(IV)oxide and water in the presence of sunlight.

Oxygen is given off as a by-product of photosynthesis. In regards to this, it is recommended that each person plants a tree.

Matter is composed of particles which can be:

  1. Tightly packed together (as seen in solids).

  2. Loosely packed together (as seen in liquids).

  3. Completely separated (as seen in gases).

The movement of the particles of matter is a function of the overall kinetic energy present in them. You can think of kinetic energy as energy in motion.

An increase in the particles' vibrational, rotational or translational motion will imply an increase in temperature while a decrease in the particles motion (vibrational, rotational and translational) will mean a decrease in temperature. Based on this knowledge, we can therefore define temperature as the measure of the average kinetic energy possessed by the particles of matter.

You can read on the concept of matter here

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a score derived from a set of standardized tests developed to measure a person's cognitive abilities in relation to their age group.

IQ may also be defined as the ratio of mental age (MA) to chronological age (CA) multiplied by 100.

Below are some formulas pertaining Intelligence Quotient:

  • IQ = MA x 100 ÷ CA

  • MA = Mental age

  • CA = Chronological age

  • IQ above 100 = Brilliance

  • IQ that equals 100 = Average

  • IQ below 100 = Below Average