Download or read book The Britannica Guide to Matter written by Erik Gregersen Associate Editor, Astronomy and Space Exploration and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2011-01-15 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of matter is the study of all material things, as well as their ability to transform from one state to another. All matter assumes one of several basic statessolid, liquid, gas, and plasma being the most common. Under varying conditions, each state can be altered to form new substances or adopt new characteristics. This insightful book covers the various structures and elements of different types of matter, while examining the physical and chemical properties that allow for permutation and change.