Which are the four most abundant elements in living cells ?
Correct answer: B. carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
- A. carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur
- B. carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
- C. carbon, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus
- D. carbon, sulfur, hydrogen, magnesium
Explanation
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen are the four most abundant elements in living cells because they form carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Sulfur and phosphorus are important but occur in smaller overall amounts, so option a is a common distractor because sulfur is present in some proteins.
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