# material (physical)

a thing that is a pattern of energy in a place through time and can be an object

- Computed level: L5 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: physical  ·  Arena: material

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [matter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-matter.substance), [structure](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-structure.arrangement), [energy](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-energy.capacity), [pattern](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pattern.regularity), [space](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-space.extent), [time](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-time.dimension), [object](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-object.entity)

**Through:** the pattern of energy occupies space and has extent

**Novel properties:**
- persistent bounded form
- spatiotemporal continuity
- emergent stability

## Examples
- The International Space Station maintains structural integrity despite micrometeoroid impacts and thermal cycling in low Earth orbit. *(engineering)*
- A snowflake retains its hexagonal symmetry for minutes before melting at sea level on a winter day. *(physics)*
- The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) operated as a coherent warship for 51 years until decommissioned in 2017. *(institutions)*

## Used by
- [bar](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-bar.structure) (L10)
- [blue](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-blue.color) (L12)
- [board](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-board.material) (L16)
- [box](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-box.container) (L15)
- [card](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-card.paper) (L16)
- [glass](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-glass.material) (L9)
- [gold](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-gold.metal) (L23)
- [key](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-key.tool) (L10)
- [paper](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-paper.material) (L16)
- [park](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-park.place) (L14)
- [print](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-print.material) (L13)
- [shoes](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-shoes.clothing) (L20)
- [sponsored](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-sponsored.financial) (L18)
- [table](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-table.furniture) (L16)
- [thread](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-thread.material) (L18)
- [tools](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-tools.tool) (L7)
- [toys](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-toys.play) (L14)
- [transparent](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-transparent.visual) (L8)
- [windows](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-windows.opening) (L10)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-material.physical*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-material.physical.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*