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Plants contain chlorophyll which enable photosynthesis. Glucose joins with oxygen in respiration. Glucose and oxygen together produce energy, which helps the plant thrive. Carbon dioxide is one byproduct of the respiration process. Plants use glucose together with nutrients taken from the soil to make new leaves and other plant parts. Cellulose is the main structural component of plant cells TO be continued. CHNOPS carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S). Six elements make up 98.5% of living matter on Earth! Hydrogen (62.9%), oxygen (almost 24%), carbon (nearly 12%), nitrogen (nearly 0.6%), calcium (0.24%) and phosphorus (0.14%). The rest is calcium, salt (sodium and chlorine atoms), magnesium and trace elements. All biological molecules (or biomolecules) contain carbon and hydrogen like lipids. Nitrogen is found in amino acids and nucleic bases (the main constituents of proteins and genetic material), in many co-factors and prosthetic groups. Oxygen is particularly present in carbohydrates and in many functional groups. Phosphorus is involved in the structure of nucleic acids and phospholipids (which play a major structural role in biological membranes) and in the energy metabolism of cells by ADP. Finally, sulphur is part of the composition of many proteins through two animated acids (cysteine and methionine) where it plays a catalytic or structural role.
The CHNOPS are all of paramount importance in the field of exobiology. CHON are also found in type C asteroids. They are the ones that most frequently collide with the Earth.
See Also: Chlorophyll CellRespiration - Cellular respiration - Wikipedia
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