What two elements besides H and N make up the bulk of living matter?
What two elements besides H and N make up the bulk of living matter?
All the living matter (living organisms) on earth is made up of the same substances (molecules, ions, atoms) as the non-living things. The living and non-living things differ from each other in chemical composition, complexity, structure, and organization. All the chemical compounds of living matter are composed of the chemical elements.
In all the living matter four basic chemical elements are always found: hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and oxygen (O). H and O are found in almost all the organic compounds that form living organisms. The percentage of H in the mass of living matter is 9.3% and the percentage of O is 62.8%. C is the basic building unit found in the living matter, whereas N is found mainly in amino acids, nucleic acids, and proteins. The percentage of N in the mass of living matter is 5.1% and percentage of C is 19.4%.
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