Matter explained to kids

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. All the stuff around us is made of matter. Matter is made of atoms. Atoms are so small that it takes about a trillion of them to make up a single speck of dust. Matter comes in different forms, or states. The three most common states of matter on Earth are solid, liquid, and gas. A fourth state of matter, called plasma, can be found in the stars. Solids are matter that have a definite shape and volume. That means they don't change shape when you put them in a container, and they don't change volume when you apply pressure to them. Examples of solids include rocks, diamonds, and ice cubes. Liquids are matter that have a definite volume but no definite shape. That means they take the shape of their container but not the volume. Examples of liquids include water, milk, and juice. Gases are matter that have no definite shape and no definite volume. That means they take the shape and volume of their container. Examples of gases include air, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Plasma is a state of matter that is found in the stars. Plasma is made of electrically charged particles. Plasma is very hot and very bright.