Questions tagged [matter]
Use this tag for questions related to mass and any materials that have volume and the objects they constitute.
388
questions
19
votes
2
answers
11k
views
What did Tesla mean by "there is no energy in matter"?
I was reading "THE ETERNAL SOURCE OF ENERGY OF THE UNIVERSE, ORIGIN AND INTENSITY OF COSMIC RAYS" by Nikola Tesla, and he states:
"There is no energy in matter except that absorbed from the medium....
- 449
0
votes
1
answer
143
views
Is plasma an intermediate stage of matter? [duplicate]
Can it truly be called a stable state? Fire is stable while it has fuel but isn't it really just a transition point for solid to gas?
- 101
1
vote
3
answers
800
views
Are atoms compressible?
Liquids are not compressible, but what does compressible mean? Does it mean the increase in the density or decrease in volume? Or something else? Why are liquids incompressible, in a way nothing ...
- 1,309
7
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Where does the majority of the mass of the usual matter come from? [duplicate]
I apologize in advance to experts for the naivety of the question. It should be a duplicate but I didn't find any satifying question or answer about that.
The proton is composed by two up quarks ...
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
If atoms are mostly empty space, why doesn't light pass through everything?
Atoms are mostly empty space, and although I now understand why matter doesn't pass through other matter, why don't photons pass through the empty space of the atoms? Is it the same sort of idea as ...
- 2,325
0
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Treating matter waves as light waves?
Is it valid to treat a matter wave as a light wave with wavelength equal to the de Broglie wavelength of the matter wave? Either way please can you explain why?
3
votes
2
answers
704
views
Good layman definition of the critical point(phases) and supercriticality
I've heard of this point among others, but never really got what it meant. Wikipedia makes one's head spin. The only thing I picked up is that it occurs between liquid and gas, and displays ...
- 1,958
3
votes
5
answers
5k
views
What compounds or elements only have one phase or two phases?
Wood appears to be one. I think gases like helium and hydrogen cannot exist in the solid state under normal pressures, correct? And why do those "phase cheaters"-- those elements/compounds which ...
- 1,958
4
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Is there an Ideal Liquid Law? Or Solid Law?
There is an Ideal Gas Law, but why isn't there one for liquids or solids? Is it because they are much too hard to predict or that solids and liquids vary drastically in their reaction to temperature ...
- 1,958
0
votes
2
answers
372
views
What--is the Ultimate Limit of heat based off c? [duplicate]
As heat goes up, molecules start moving at a faster rate. A gas molecule, if unhindered, could speed across the United States in three hours. I don't even want to know about plasma. But if heat ...
- 1,958
7
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Do different plasmas from different elements have different properties?
If so, what are some differences? Like between iron and gold?
EDIT: Sorry, I need to clarify: By 'difference' I mean... do they retain their chemical properties from more normal temperatures? Like is ...
- 1,958
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Does our universe have an even distribution of matter in every direction
It occurred to me that it does since gravity in the space I exist appears to be uniform Ie there is no net movement of objects I observe in a particular direction. I maybe speaking from classical ...
- 101
2
votes
1
answer
279
views
Contact forces and the structure of matter
Textbooks on introductory physics depict friction force as a result of interatomic forces. Matter is made of atoms and those atoms have eletric bounds. In turn, those eletric bounds are responsible ...
- 220
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Doesn't the Big Bang negate the law of conservation of matter? [duplicate]
I was watching Hawking (2004 film) and in the movie, Hawking has a sudden insight that all the matter and energy observed in the known universe may, in fact, have sprung out from nothing (singularity) ...
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can anti-matter annihilate matter?
I heard that anti-particles annihilate when in contact with normal-particles but the odd thing is that in fusion reaction normal-particles often "fuse" into each other but the weak force often ...
user43495