Matter and energy make the universe. Both matter and energy can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be used in different forms.
Matter vs Energy
The difference between matter and energy lies in their concepts. The matter has mass and occupies space. Each matter has its properties, and no two matters share the same kind of properties. Energy is not like matter; it is the ability to move things. Energy moves matter.
All the physical forms of matter are called states of matter. The states of matter are further subdivided into solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
Energy exerts a force that makes the substance or object move. It can be transferred from one form into another that makes people execute tasks.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Matter | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The matter has mass and occupies space | The ability to do work |
| Forms | Solid, Liquid, Gas, and Plasma | Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy, Chemical Energy, Thermal energy, Mechanical Energy, Internal Energy, Conservation Energy, Thermal Energy, Bond Energy, etc |
| Property | Matter has mass | Energy does not have mass |
| Characteristic | Matter takes up space called volume | Energy does not take up space |
| S.I Unit | Matter does not have an SI unit | The SI unit of energy is joules |
What is Matter?
The term matter is described as anything that occupies space and has some mass. The matter has been divided into two types and that are atoms and molecules.
The physical forms of matter are called states of matter. The states of matter are subdivided into three states, namely, solid, liquid, and gas.
A state of matter is used to describe the behaviour of atoms and molecules in a substance. Solid is one of the states of matter where the molecules are held by stronger bonds.
Examples include the metal bowls. In liquids, the molecules are weaker than the solids—for example, coffee, water, tea, juices, etc. Gases can be differentiated by low density and viscosity.
Plasma which is also one of the states of matter, consists of atoms or molecules following the conditions of temperature and pressure.
What is Energy?
Energy is the force employed or the ability to perform multiple tasks. For instance, if a person is throwing a ball, he is transferring that energy to the ball, and the ball will fly in the air.
An example of this is if a person is moving some object, that person is doing some work, and that will lead to transferring of his energy to the object so that it can move. Some of them are
- Kinetic energy
- Chemical energy
- Bond energy
- Thermal energy
- Mechanical energy
- Conservation energy, etc
Kinetic energy is defined as the energy an object possesses due to motion. The moving object always has kinetic energy. The density of the object is an indicator of kinetic energy.
Main Differences Between Matter and Energy
- The matter is converted from carbon dioxide and water into glucose, whereas energy is converted from light energy to chemical energy.
- The matter has been further divided into atoms and molecules. The molecules are broken down and are converted into other molecules as part of growth and biomass allocation.
References
- https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/285726
- https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2136/sssaj1964.03615995002800020013x
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