The document discusses the basics of matter, atoms, elements, and the periodic table. It defines matter as anything that has mass and takes up space. Atoms are the basic unit of matter and are made up of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. Elements are substances that cannot be broken down further, with examples given of gold and oxygen. The periodic table was created in 1869 by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev and lists 118 known elements according to their atomic structure.