Solid is one of the three classical states of matter (the others being gas and liquid).

It is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume.

Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Thicknesses can vary significantly, although extremely thin thicknesses are considered foil or leaf, and pieces thicker than 6 mm (0.25 in) are considered plate. Sheet metal is available as flat pieces or as a coiled strip. The coils are formed by running a continuous sheet of metal through a roll slitter. The thickness of the sheet metal is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal ranges from 30 gauge to about 8 gauge. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the metal. Applications Of Sheet Metal:Sheet metal has applications in car bodies, airplane wings, medical tables, roofs for buildings and many other things. Sheet metal of iron and other materials with high magnetic permeability, also known as laminated steel cores, has applications in transformers and electric machines. Historically, an important use of sheet metal was in plate armor worn by cavalry, and sheet metal continues to have many decorative uses, including in horse tack.

Sheet Metal
Sheet metal is any metal that is thicker than a foil and thinner than 6mm, the thickness of a metal plate. Sheet metal is often used for building structures that do not require durability. It is also often corrugated or diamonded for additional strength without increasing weight. Corrugation is the creasing of the metal at regular intervals to form ridges, and diamonding is the addition of diamond ridges that add structure to the metal.

Plate Metal
Plate metal is any sheet of metal with a thickness of 6mm or more. Plate metal is used in applications where durability is more important than saving weight. It is used in automobiles where durability is required to pass crash testing.

The Difference
The only difference between sheet and plate steel is the gauge (thickness) of the metal. They both have very different uses, depending on the varying durability and weight requirements for different projects. Most of my suppliers have always listed anything 3/16 and thinner as sheet...and 1/4 and thicker as plate.