what are 4 elements that make up bulk of living matter?
carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen.
name the single most abundant material or substance in living matter
name the trace element most important for making bones hard
The four elements that make up the bulk of living matter are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O). These elements are essential for the formation of biological molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, which are the building blocks of life.
To determine these elements, you can refer to the periodic table, which lists all the known elements in a specific order. Carbon (C) is element number 6, hydrogen (H) is element number 1, nitrogen (N) is element number 7, and oxygen (O) is element number 8. These numbers represent the atomic numbers of the elements, which indicate the number of protons present in the nucleus of each atom.
The bulk of living matter consists mostly of organic compounds, which contain carbon. Carbon has exceptional bonding properties due to its ability to form covalent bonds with other elements, allowing for the formation of complex and diverse organic molecules. Hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen also play crucial roles in various biological processes, such as energy production, DNA synthesis, and protein formation.
Understanding the composition of living matter is essential for studying and comprehending the complexity of life on Earth.