EXERCISE 2

THE CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE

The body is composed of thousands of different chemicals interacting with one another.
All forms of processes that occur in the body involve chemical reactions such as during the
digestion of food, pumping of the heart, contraction of the muscle, and during brain activities
(Marieb, 2015).

There are four major elements that compose 96.1% of the human body: oxygen, carbon,
hydrogen, and nitrogen. Some elements (3.9% of the human body) are found in lesser amounts
like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, and iron.
Others are present in very minute amounts (less than 0.01% of the human body) and are termed
as trace elements. Such elements include chromium, cobalt, copper, fluorine, manganese,
molybdenum, selenium, silicon, tin, vanadium, and zinc (Marieb, 2015).

All chemicals in the body are classified into two major divisions of molecules, the
organic and inorganic compounds. There are four important organic compounds in the body,
namely carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Water, on the other hand, is the most
abundant inorganic compound and has different properties essential to life (Marieb, 2015).

LABORATORY ACTIVITY

Objectives

At the end of the activity, the student should be able to:

 explain the role of water in the human body;

 explain the importance of oxygen in the human body;
 identify the four major elements of the human body; and
 list some importance of the four major elements of the human body

Methodology

1. Discuss among your group members/partner the importance of water, oxygen, and the
four major elements of the human body.