# Material form **Trait Number:** 7 **Layer:** Physical **Bit Position:** 7 **Binary Encoding:** `00000010 00000000 00000000 00000000` **UHT Code (self-encoding):** `02 00 00 00` --- # Icon ![[Icon7.png|200]] ## Definition The entity is **composed of matter** — it has physical substance. This includes solids, liquids, gases, and physical materials at any scale, regardless of visibility or permanence. --- ## When to Apply Use this trait when the entity: - Is made of **atoms, molecules, or physical substance** - Has **mass, volume, or inertia** - Exists in a form that occupies **physical space** Avoid applying if the entity: - Is purely **virtual, conceptual, or symbolic** - Is a pattern, behavior, or algorithm without embodiment - Exists only as **information** or in software/code form --- ## Related Traits - [[80 00 00 00 - Physical Object]]— Closely related; most physical objects have material form, but this trait focuses on *composition*, not *existence*. - [[04 00 00 00 - Perceptible]] — Many material things are perceptible, but not all (e.g., microscopic particles, invisible gases). - [[01 00 00 00 - Passive]] — Material things may also be passive, but not necessarily — some materials act or react. --- ## Examples - A block of wood - A glass of water - A copper wire - A printed circuit board - A drop of mercury - A 3D-printed part - A cloud (as condensed water droplets) --- ## Commentary This trait highlights **substance over presence** — it's about what something is *made of*, not whether it's *perceivable*, *static*, or *functional*. Even extremely small or imperceptible things (like a neutrino detector crystal) can have material form. Use this trait when you want to emphasize **physical substance** versus *behavior*, *function*, or *symbolism*. For example, a sculpture and a lump of raw clay are both material — even if their meaning or purpose differs. --- **© 2025 Steven Holland. All rights reserved.** [[Copyright Statement]]