Which element makes up about 96% of living matter?

Prepare for the NYSTCE 160 Biology Exam with comprehensive study materials. Dive into flashcards and multiple choice questions, each featuring hints and explanations to boost your understanding and readiness for test day!

Carbon is the key element that constitutes about 96% of living matter, alongside hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. This is primarily due to its unique ability to form stable covalent bonds with a variety of other elements, allowing for the creation of complex organic molecules essential for life. Carbon's versatility in forming chains, rings, and various functional groups makes it the backbone of biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Understanding the significance of carbon in biology highlights how fundamental it is to the structure and function of cells, energy storage, and the overall biochemical processes that sustain life. Other elements mentioned, like helium, sodium, and iron, do not play a comparable role in the composition and complexity of biological molecules, and therefore, they are not major constituents of living matter.

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