What physical and chemical changes in matter can be observed in nature? Utah Science with Engineering Education Standards: Strand 5.2: PROPERTIES AND CHANGES OF MATTER All substances are composed of matter. Matter is made of particles that are too small to be seen but still exist and can be detected by other means. Substances have specific properties by which they can be identified. When two or more different substances are combined a new substance with different properties may be formed. Whether a change results in a new substance or not, the total amount of matter is always conserved. Standa