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The main elements that comprise the human body (including water) can be summarized as CHNOPS . About 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. Only about 0.85% is composed of another five elements: potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium.
Mar 21, 2024 · Learn about the human body's anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry from Britannica's comprehensive articles. Find out how the body is composed of water, organic compounds, minerals, and cells, and how it works as a whole system.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dec 2, 2019 · Learn about the makeup of the human body in terms of the six key chemical elements (CHNOPS) and the major classes of compounds (water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and others). Find out how much of each element and compound is present in the average adult human body and what are the sources and functions of these elements.
- Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
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The human body is composed of elements including hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, calcium and phosphorus. These elements reside in trillions of cells and non-cellular components of the body. The adult male body is about 60% water for a total water content of some 42 litres (9.2 imp gal; 11 US gal).
Learn how the human body is made of around 20 different elements, mostly formed in ancient stars. Find out the functions and amounts of each element, from oxygen and carbon to copper and iodine.
Jun 28, 2018 · Learn about the chemical composition of the human body, including the relative abundances and uses of 10 elements, such as oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and calcium. Find out how each element is essential for life and health, and how it functions in the body.
Feb 24, 2020 · There are several ways to consider the composition of the human body, including the elements, type of molecule, or type of cells. Most of the human body is made up of water, H 2 O, with bone cells being comprised of 31% water and the lungs 83%. Therefore, it isn't surprising that most of a human body's mass is oxygen.