--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we call matter is only a complex of…" description: "\"What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we find together in the same place.\" — Wolfgang Ostwald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png" --- # What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we… ![“What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we find together in the same place.” quote by Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png) > “What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we find together in the same place.” [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Matter is a collection of energy patterns co‑located in space. **In simple terms:** Matter equals combined energies. Key Takeaway Study energy interactions. Themes physics philosophy energy Mood curious analytical Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - research - education - technology development Key Concepts quantum theory field dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect material science? - What practical uses arise from energy focus? A Different Perspective Energy concepts can be abstract and hard to visualize. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Energies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energies/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Every situation, no matter how complex it initially looks, is exceedingly simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-goldratt/every-situation-no-matter-how-complex-it-initially-looks-is/) [Eliyahu Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-goldratt/) > [What is there about polarity that is matter becoming more complex?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/what-is-there-about-polarity-that-is-matter-becoming-more-complex/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [So that's what destiny is: simply the fulfillment of the potentialites of the energies in your own system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/so-that-s-what-destiny-is-simply-the-fulfillment-of-the-potentialites/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“My energies have been drained. Masturbating too much will do that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-m-pillow/my-energies-have-been-drained-masturbating-too-much-will-do-that/) [Michelle M. Pillow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-m-pillow/) > [In Southeast Asia the world is understood to be a vast, complex network of interdependent relationships. So when global capitalism makes it impossible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/in-southeast-asia-the-world-is-understood-to-be-a-vast-complex/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [You show me a successful complex system, and I will show you a system that has evolved through trial and error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-harford/you-show-me-a-successful-complex-system-and-i-will-show-you-a-system/) [Tim Harford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-harford/) > [The desire to explain what is simple by what is complex, what is easy by what is difficult, is a calamity .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-desire-to-explain-what-is-simple-by-what-is-complex-what-is-easy/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is becoming clear that many diseases - especially cancer - are highly complex and may respond better to a multi-drug approach which targets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-vertes/it-is-becoming-clear-that-many-diseases-especially-cancer-are-highly/) [Eva Vertes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-vertes/) > [Not acknowledging that beauty is complex-that's the problem. I enjoy making it complex for people, because that's my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wilson/not-acknowledging-that-beauty-is-complex-that-s-the-problem-i-enjoy/) [Fred Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-wilson/) > [ The book \[There are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé?\] is quite complex, and I was worried that it would be marketed as one-sided or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/the-book-there-are-more-beautiful-things-than-beyonc-is-quite-complex/) [Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/) > [I love mysteries on television - the more psychologically complex, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-eaton/i-love-mysteries-on-television-the-more-psychologically-complex-the/) [Rebecca Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-eaton/) > [I loved Sherlock Holmes as a kid, but I remember being disappointed when he'd come up with these simple explanations for these complex mysteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-weir/i-loved-sherlock-holmes-as-a-kid-but-i-remember-being-disappointed/) [Peter Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-weir/) > [The only reason that we like complex numbers is that we don't like real numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernd-sturmfels/the-only-reason-that-we-like-complex-numbers-is-that-we-don-t-like/) Bernd Sturmfels > [“The act of consciousness is central; otherwise we are overrun by the complexes. The hero in each of us is required to answer the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hollis/the-act-of-consciousness-is-central-otherwise-we-are-overrun-by-the/) [James Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hollis/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) ## More by Wolfgang Ostwald > [The chemists work with inaccurate and poor measuring services, but they employ very good materials. The physicists, on the other hand, use excellent methods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/the-chemists-work-with-inaccurate-and-poor-measuring-services-but/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) > [I must consider the organizer as more important than the discoverer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/i-must-consider-the-organizer-as-more-important-than-the-discoverer/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) > [Happiness is equal to work minus resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/happiness-is-equal-to-work-minus-resistance/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) > [The only difference between elements and compounds consists in the supposed impossibility of proving the so-called elements to be compounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/the-only-difference-between-elements-and-compounds-consists-in-the/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) > [Non-aqueous solutions don't conduct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/non-aqueous-solutions-don-t-conduct/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) > [A catalyst is a substance which alters the velocity of a chemical reaction without appearing in the final products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/a-catalyst-is-a-substance-which-alters-the-velocity-of-a-chemical/) [Wolfgang Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) [Explore all 7 Wolfgang Ostwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/) ## More Complex quotes > [Ownership is a very complex judicial concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/ownership-is-a-very-complex-judicial-concept/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [I have faith in an audience being able to interpret complex material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-heineman/i-have-faith-in-an-audience-being-able-to-interpret-complex-material/) [Matthew Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-heineman/) > [We're all complex human beings, and if some of that complexity shows through, I think it's advantageous for the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-de-bont/we-re-all-complex-human-beings-and-if-some-of-that-complexity-shows/) [Jan de Bont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-de-bont/) > [Mike Tyson is the most complex person I've ever met in my life. I've known Mike since 1986. We're both from Brooklyn. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/mike-tyson-is-the-most-complex-person-i-ve-ever-met-in-my-life-i-ve/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [Life is complex. It has real and imaginary components.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-potter/life-is-complex-it-has-real-and-imaginary-components/) Tom Potter > [As they grow, companies saturate their markets, become more complex and difficult to manage, and face larger and more entrenched competitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/as-they-grow-companies-saturate-their-markets-become-more-complex-and/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [“The act of consciousness is central; otherwise we are overrun by the complexes. The hero in each of us is required to answer the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hollis/the-act-of-consciousness-is-central-otherwise-we-are-overrun-by-the/) [James Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hollis/) > [Post-minimalism implies music that's genre-less. Minimalism was very important because it came at a time when contemporary music had become so complex, so experimental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-beiser/post-minimalism-implies-music-that-s-genre-less-minimalism-was-very/) [Maya Beiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-beiser/) > [“The relationship of a girl and her favorite novel can be complex indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/the-relationship-of-a-girl-and-her-favorite-novel-can-be-complex/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [I understand that finance can be very complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-harrington/i-understand-that-finance-can-be-very-complex/) [Kevin Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-harrington/) > [“War is always more complex. Economics, history, religion all have a role, but not for the ones dodging the bullets. They just get blown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-carter/war-is-always-more-complex-economics-history-religion-all-have-a-role/) [Bill Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-carter/) > [Through all those complex years I thought I was alone. I didn't care to look around and make this world my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pantera/through-all-those-complex-years-i-thought-i-was-alone-i-didn-t-care/) [Pantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pantera/) > [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/) [Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) Browse all 680 Complex quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we find together in the same place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wolfgang Ostwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of-energies-which-we-find/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complex" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of-energies-which-we-find/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/wolfgang-ostwald-50784_complex_what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of_2206340.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What we call matter is only a complex of energies which we find together in the same place.” — Wolfgang Ostwald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Wolfgang Ostwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-ostwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What we call matter is only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of-energies-which-we-find/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-ostwald/what-we-call-matter-is-only-a-complex-of-energies-which-we-find/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```