Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are the four most common elements in living things. Which statement BEST describes the function of these elements within an organism?
a
The elements make up carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
b
The elements are the result of organisms breaking down larger elements in food.
c
The elements are the most stable elements found on Earth.
d
The elements are produced by organisms as they undergo cellular processes.
a
The elements make up carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the function of these elements within an organism. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are essential elements that make up some of the most important biological molecules in living things.
a) The statement "The elements make up carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids" is correct. These are the four major types of biomolecules found in living organisms, and carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are key components of them. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids play critical roles in various cellular processes, such as energy storage and transfer, structural support, and genetic information storage.
b) The statement "The elements are the result of organisms breaking down larger elements in food" is not accurate. While organisms do break down larger molecules in food during digestion, the elements themselves are not a direct result of this process. Rather, organisms use the building blocks obtained from food to synthesize new molecules that contain these elements.
c) The statement "The elements are the most stable elements found on Earth" is incorrect. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are common elements, but they are not necessarily the most stable elements on Earth. The stability of an element depends on its atomic structure and reactivity, which can vary across the periodic table.
d) The statement "The elements are produced by organisms as they undergo cellular processes" is not accurate. While organisms can undergo various cellular processes, these elements themselves are not produced by the organisms. Organisms acquire these elements from their environment, predominantly through the food they consume or through other environmental sources.
Therefore, option (a) "The elements make up carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids" is the best description of the function of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen within an organism.