Chapter 2.1, Problem 1CYP

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The basic differences in elements on the basis of various characteristics present in the Earth’s crust and those present in living organisms.

Introduction:

The simplest form of all matter is an element. An element is made of only one type of atom which cannot be broken into a simpler form. The Earth’s crust consists of few abundant elements and other trace elements. Oxygen is the most abundant which is followed by silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, and magnesium, etc.

Among all elements, oxygen is the most abundant since it is a highly reactive element capable of combining with various elements. In Earth’s crust, most minerals are in the form of silicates, commonly known as silicon dioxide (sand) and they exist in the forms of quartz and crystalline rocks. However, in living organisms, the major elements are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and others trace elements. The proportions of elements in living organisms differ from those of Earth’s crust. These variations in the proportion of the elements reflect the complex chemical structure in living organisms.