Final answer:
The five common elements in star dust are hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, which make up most of the interstellar matter in both gaseous and solid forms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The five common elements within star dust are generally considered to be hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. Observations and studies indicate that about 99% of the material between stars is in the form of a gas, primarily hydrogen and helium.
The remaining 1% is solid particles known as interstellar grains or interstellar dust, which contain heavier elements such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, magnesium, silicon, and iron. These elements are crucial since they are abundant in the universe and part of the building blocks for more complex structures, including life.
Interstellar dust is significant because it absorbs and scatters starlight and can form molecules that are essential to the chemistry of life as we know it.