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No two units of matter can occupy the same ________ at the same ________.

a. Time ; Mass
b. Density ; Space
c. Distance ; speed
d. Space : time

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The correct answer to the question is (d) Space ; time, which addresses the principle in physics that two units of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question "No two units of matter can occupy the same space at the same time" is relevant to the concept of physical occupation linked to the properties of matter in physics. According to basic physics principles, any given space can only contain one unit of matter at a given time, implying the correct answer is (d) Space ; time. This concept is rooted in the fact that matter is defined as anything that occupies space and has mass. To give a long answer, if two different units of matter attempted to occupy the exact same space at the same time, it would violate the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that two fermions (particles such as electrons) cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously.

Considering mass, volume, and density are distinct yet interrelated properties of matter, where mass is a measure of the quantity of matter within an object; volume is the measure of the three-dimensional space it occupies, and density is mass per unit volume, it becomes evident why no two distinct units of matter can occupy the same space at the same time. For practical understanding, it is essential to acknowledge that while a hot dog and a tree have both mass and occupy space hence are classified as matter, emotions like love do not count as matter. Similarly, despite having equal masses, a kilogram of cotton balls and a kilogram of gold will have vastly different volumes and densities. This is to say, their spacial occupation would be significantly distinct.

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