CHON + minerals — the elements that make biology possible
BIO 111The Lab
96% of living matter is just four elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen. Add Phosphorus and Sulfur and you have the backbone of every biological molecule that has ever existed. The rest of the periodic table fills supporting roles — some essential, some toxic, most irrelevant to life.
96%
of living matter is CHON (Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen)
99%
of body mass covered by just 6 elements: CHON + P + S