Biology Chapter: Composition of Living Matter

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of the dry weight of the human body is composed of the six primary elements?

90% (correct)
75%
50%
100%

Why is carbon considered a unique element in living matter?

It can form ionic bonds with other elements.
It has the highest atomic number among biological elements.
It can form an infinite number of compounds. (correct)
It is the most abundant element in the universe.

Which of the following elements is NOT included among the six primary elements found in living matter?

Nitrogen
Sulfur
Calcium (correct)
Oxygen

How many compounds found in living systems contain carbon?

<p>About 90% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of carbon allows it to create C-C chains of virtually unlimited length?

<p>Its ability to form strong covalent bonds (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Major Elements of Life

The six most abundant elements in living organisms, accounting for about 90% of the human body's dry mass.

Carbon's Importance

Carbon forms the backbone of most molecules in living organisms.

Carbon's Bonding Strength

Carbon's ability to form long chains and rings of multiple carbon atoms.

Carbon's Versatile Bonding

Carbon's unique property of forming four covalent bonds with other atoms, enabling the creation of diverse molecules.

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Carbon's Dominance

The vast majority of organic compounds found in living organisms contain carbon.

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Study Notes

Composition of Living Matter

Living matter is primarily composed of six elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
These six elements comprise about 90% of the dry weight of the human body.
Other important elements found in cells include Ca, K, Na, Cl, Mg, Fe, Cu, Co, I, Zn, F, Mo, and Se.

Carbon's Uniqueness

Carbon is the most prevalent and versatile element in living organisms.
Carbon's unique property is its ability to form a vast number of compounds.
This is due to carbon's capacity to form stable covalent bonds and create long, unbranched carbon-carbon chains of virtually unlimited length.
Around 90% of the compounds found in living systems contain carbon.

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Description

Explore the fundamental elements that make up living matter in this quiz. Learn about the six primary elements and their significance in the human body. Discover the unique properties of carbon and its role in biological compounds.