Question

Which of the following are the most abundant elements in the living cells?

• A. C, H, S and P
• B. C, O, N and P
• C. C, H, O and N
• D. C, H, Mg and Ca

Answer 1

The correct option is C C, H, O and N

• The most common elements in living things are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen.
• A carbohydrate is a biological molecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
• Proteins are made up of amino acids which are organic compounds that contain an amino group and carboxyl functional groups, along with a side chain (R group) specific to each amino acid.
• Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen-containing aromatic base attached to a pentose sugar (C, H, and O), which is in turn attached to a phosphate group.
• So, major macromolecules consist of C, H, O, and N and hence, are the most abundant elements in living cells.

Thus, the correct answer is option (C).