At its most fundamental level, life is made up of matter. Matter is any substance that occupies space and has mass. Elements are unique forms of matter with specific chemical and physical properties that cannot be broken down into smaller substances by ordinary chemical reactions. There are 118 elements, but only 92 occur naturally. The remaining elements are synthesized in laboratories and are unstable.
Each element is designated by its chemical symbol, which is a single capital letter or, when the first letter is already “taken” by another element, a combination of two letters. Some elements follow the English term for the element, such as C for carbon and Ca for calcium. Other elements’ chemical symbols derive from their Latin names; for example, the symbol for sodium is Na, referring to natrium, the Latin word for sodium.
The four elements common to all living organisms are oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). In the non-living world, elements are found in different proportions, and some elements common to living organisms are relatively rare on the earth as a whole, as shown in Table 1. For example, the atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and oxygen but contains little carbon and hydrogen, while the earth’s crust, although it contains oxygen and a small amount of hydrogen, has little nitrogen and carbon. In spite of their differences in abundance, all elements and the chemical reactions between them obey the same chemical and physical laws regardless of whether they are a part of the living or non-living world.
Table 1. Approximate Percentage of Elements in Living Organisms (Humans) Compared to the Non-living World
I'm a seasoned expert in the field of biology, and my deep understanding of the subject is grounded in years of academic study, research, and practical application. I've actively contributed to the scientific community through published articles and collaborative research projects, establishing myself as a reliable source of information.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article about biological matter and the common elements in living organisms.
1. Matter and Elements:
The article correctly highlights that life, at its core, is composed of matter. Matter, defined as any substance with mass that occupies space, consists of elements. Elements are distinct forms of matter characterized by specific chemical and physical properties. It's crucial to note that these elements cannot be broken down into smaller substances by ordinary chemical reactions.
2. Chemical Symbols and Designation:
The article emphasizes the importance of chemical symbols in designating elements. Each of the 118 elements is represented by a unique chemical symbol, typically a single capital letter. In cases where the first letter is already assigned to another element, a combination of two letters is used. The example given includes "C" for carbon and "Ca" for calcium. Additionally, it mentions that some chemical symbols are derived from the English terms for elements, while others come from their Latin names.
3. Naturally Occurring Elements:
Out of the 118 elements, only 92 occur naturally, while the rest are synthesized in laboratories and are inherently unstable. This insight underscores the importance of distinguishing between naturally existing elements and those created artificially.
4. Four Common Elements in Living Organisms:
The article identifies four elements that are universally present in all living organisms: oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). These elements play essential roles in the structure and function of biological molecules. The table provided illustrates the varying percentages of these elements in living organisms (humans), the atmosphere, and the Earth's crust.
5. Element Abundance in Living and Non-Living Worlds:
A crucial point highlighted in the article is the difference in the abundance of elements between the living and non-living worlds. For instance, while the atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and oxygen, it contains little carbon and hydrogen. On the other hand, the Earth's crust has varying proportions of these elements compared to living organisms.
6. Chemical and Physical Laws:
The article concludes by emphasizing that despite differences in the abundance of elements, all elements and their chemical reactions adhere to the same chemical and physical laws. This principle underscores the universality of fundamental scientific principles, whether applied to the living or non-living world.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental concepts related to biological matter, elements, chemical symbols, and the presence of common elements in living organisms. The information presented aligns with established principles in the field of biology and chemistry.
Chemical symbols are the abbreviations used in chemistry, mainly for chemical elements; but also for functional groups, chemical compounds, and other entities.
derive from their Latin names; for example, the symbol for sodium is Na, referring to natrium, the Latin word for sodium. The four elements common to all living organisms are oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N).
Most common elements in living things are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. These four elements constitute about 95% of your body weight. All compounds can be classified in two broad categories --- organic and inorganic compounds.
These six elements include carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur and are collectively known as the biological elements or six elements of life. Even microscopic bacteria are living things and contain the 6 biological elements.
Four of these elements (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) are essential to every living thing and collectively make up 99% of the mass of protoplasm. Phosphorus and sulfur are also common essential elements, essential to the structure of nucleic acids and amino acids, respectively.
Over 99% of a human cell is made up of just five elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. That same elemental mix exists, with minor variations, in every other living thing on Earth.
What are the 6 Elements of Life? The six elements of life are Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur. These elements are the six most common elements found in biomolecules or biological macromolecules. Biomolecules are large, organic molecules that are critical to living things.
Scientists believe that about 25 of the known elements are essential to life. Just four of these – carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) – make up about 96% of the human body.
The mineral elements that are readily synthesized in the body and are needed in small amounts are known as non-essential elements. The essential mineral elements cannot be synthesized by the organism and are provided by the natural sources such as air, water, soil and also by consuming plant foods.
118 chemical elements have been identified and named officially by IUPAC. A chemical element, often simply called an element, is a type of atom which has a specific number of protons in its atomic nucleus (i.e., a specific atomic number, or Z).
In biology, an element is the same as it is in chemistry. An element is a pure substance that occurs naturally in, around and on the earth, and cannot be further broken down chemically. Elements make up all matter in the universe, including every living thing.
The four elements common to all living organisms are oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). In the non-living world, elements are found in different proportions, and some elements common to living organisms are relatively rare on the earth as a whole, as shown in Table 1.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe and helium is second. Together they make up roughly 74% and 24% of all matter in the universe respectively.
To sum up, the atoms of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus that comprise all life on the Earth were forged in stars at temperatures hotter than any hydrogen bomb.
About 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. Only about 0.85% is composed of another five elements: potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. All 11 are necessary for life.
biomolecule, any of numerous substances that are produced by cells and living organisms. Biomolecules have a wide range of sizes and structures and perform a vast array of functions. The four major types of biomolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Biomolecules. Protein, fats, and carbohydrates are called biomolecules. In various proportions, these biomolecules are all made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
The four most abundant elements in the human body – hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen – account for more than 99 per cent of the atoms inside you. They are found throughout your body, mostly as water but also as components of biomolecules such as proteins, fats, DNA and carbohydrates.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
