Home › NPCIL Trainee › Biology › The Chemical Foundation of Life › In chemistry and biology, "matter" is defined as:
In chemistry and biology, "matter" is defined as:
Aanything that occupies space and has mass
Bonly living substances
Cany substance carrying an electric charge
Dany gas at room temperature
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. anything that occupies space and has mass
1. The stem asks for the most fundamental definition used at the start of this topic.
2. The text states: "Matter is any substance that occupies space and has mass."
3. This definition applies equally to living and non-living material, to charged and uncharged substances, and to solids, liquids, and gases alike.
4. So matter is defined simply as anything occupying space and having mass -- not restricted to living things, charge, or a particular state.
_Source: OpenStax Biology Ch 2 "The Chemical Foundation of Life", p.33 §2.1 | Atoms, Isotopes, Ions, and Molecules: The Building Blocks_
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