The Britannica Guide to Matter

Published in 2011 by Britannica Educational Publishing
(a trademark of Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)
in association with Rosen Educational Services, LLC
29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010.

Distributed exclusively by Rosen Educational Services.
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First Edition

Britannica Educational Publishing
Michael I. Levy: Executive Editor
J.E. Luebering: Senior Manager
Marilyn L. Barton: Senior Coordinator, Production Control
Steven Bosco: Director, Editorial Technologies
Lisa S. Braucher: Senior Producer and Data Editor
Yvette Charboneau: Senior Copy Editor
Kathy Nakamura: Manager, Media Acquisition
Erik Gregersen: Associate Editor, Science and Technology

Rosen Educational Services
Jeanne Nagle: Senior Editor
Nelson Sá: Art Director
Cindy Reiman: Photography Manager
Matthew Cauli: Designer, Cover Design
Introduction by Erik Gregersen

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The Britannica guide to matter / edited by Erik Gregersen.
p. cm.—(Physics explained)
“In association with Britannica Educational Publishing, Rosen Educational Services.”
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-61530-381-6 (eBook)
1. Matter—Popular works. I. Gregersen, Erik. II. Title: Guide to matter. III. Title: Matter.
QC171.2.B67 2011
530.4—dc22

2010024080

On page x: Aurora borealis as seen from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Auroras are a beautiful phenomenon caused by plasma in Earth’s space environment. David Brosha Photography/Flickr/Getty Images

On page xviii: Bathers enjoy the hot springs in Slovakia’s Low Tatras National Park. Water is visible in three forms of matter: liquid (pooled water), gaseous (steam), and solid (ice and snow). isifa/Getty Images

On pages 1, 9, 39, 56, 73, 115, 164, 197, 228, 256, 258, 267: Water in all its forms, represented by the famous Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Shutterstock.com