 The four most abundant elements in living organisms, in terms of

percentage of total number of atoms, are hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and

carbon, which together make up more than 99% of the mass of most cells.

 The trace elements represent a miniscule fraction of the weight of the

human body, but all are essential to life, usually because they are essential
to the function of specific proteins, including many enzymes. The oxygen-
transporting capacity of the hemoglobin molecule, for example, is absolutely
dependent on four iron ions that make up only 0.3% of the molecule’s mass.