Final answer:
Approximately 96% of living matter is composed of oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). These elements are fundamental in forming the biological molecules necessary for life. Knowledge of how these elements bond and interact is essential in biology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The four elements that make up approximately 96% of living matter are oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). These elements are crucial as they form the building blocks of essential biological molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. The unique properties and bonds these elements can form allow for complex organic compounds to be created, which are necessary for life as we know it.
While these four elements are common in living organisms, the non-living world presents them in different proportions. Despite this difference, all elements obey the same physical and chemical laws, whether part of a living organism or the non-living environment. Therefore, an understanding of how these key elements interact and combine is fundamental to biology and the sciences that explore the nature of life.