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Which element is most common in the human body?

human bodychemistry

Quick Answer

Oxygen makes up about 65% of your body mass, mostly locked up in water. By number of atoms, hydrogen wins.

The Full Story

By mass, oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body, accounting for around 65% of your weight. Most of it is part of water, which makes up roughly 60% of an adult’s body. Carbon comes second at about 18%, forming the backbone of proteins, fats, sugars and DNA, followed by hydrogen at about 10% and nitrogen at about 3%. Because hydrogen atoms are so light, they are actually the most numerous, making up around 62% of all the atoms in your body. Together, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen make up about 96% of your body mass.

Key Facts

1.Calcium and phosphorus, mostly in bones and teeth, are the next most common elements.
2.An average adult contains around 7 billion billion billion atoms.
3.Much of the hydrogen in your body was formed shortly after the Big Bang.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"You are 65% oxygen — what your body is really made of"

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