Answer

Matter is:

•  A substance that has inertia and occupies physical space. According to modern physics, matter consists of various types of particles, each with mass and size.
• The most familiar examples of material particles are the electron, the proton and the neutron. Combinations of these particles form atoms. There are more than 100 different kinds of atoms, each kind constituting a unique chemical element. A combination of atoms forms a molecule. Atoms and/or molecules can join together to form a compound.

• Matter can exist in several states, also called phases. The three most common states are known as solid, liquid and gas. A single element or compound of matter might exist in more than one of the three states, depending on the temperature and pressure. Less familiar states of matter include plasma, foam and Bose-Einstein condensate. These states occur under special conditions.