Material Basis of Life

Abstract

Living beings, as a part of nature, are derivatives of the developing material world. All biological processes, including those that constitute the existence of living beings, occur within the limits imposed by natural laws. Virtually all the elements of the periodic table have been found in various representatives of living organisms. The main elements of living organisms are: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus. These elements are widely spread around our planet and it is exactly these elements that form organic compounds and basic macromolecules: proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Moreover, 70–80 % of the mass of most living bodies consists of water and various mineral and organic salts. Thus, all living organisms consist of the same elements and organic and inorganic molecules as non-living bodies.