Chemical Composition of the Human Body
07/03/2013 04:48
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide
This is the elemental chemical composition of the average adult human body. Water is the most abundant chemical compound in living human cells, accounting for 65-90% of each cell. Each water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom, but the mass of each oxygen atom is much higher than the combined mass of the hydrogen. All organic compounds contain carbon, which is why carbon is the second most abundant element in the body. [Read more] ...