Final answer:
Inorganic elements such as potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and chloride are essential for human nutrition and are obtained through diet. Other trace elements are important in smaller quantities, and together with inorganic compounds like water, salts, acids, and bases, they play a critical role in maintaining health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Essential Inorganic Elements in Human Nutrition
The human body requires certain inorganic elements for its nutritional needs. These elements are essential for various bodily functions and cannot be synthesized internally; hence, they must be obtained through the diet.
Minerals, which represent about 4% of the body's total mass, play a critical role in maintaining proper body function. Major elements like potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and chloride are required in moderate amounts.
Apart from the major elements, there are trace elements that are required in smaller amounts but are equally essential for health. The elements that are not essential and whose functions are not clearly defined or are absent include Al, B, Se, Cr, Br, As, Ti, and Pb. Some elements like Ni, Tin, Vanadium, and Silicon have been suggested as essential traces, but their roles in human nutrition are not well established.
The body also relies on inorganic compounds such as water, salts, acids, and bases. These play vital roles in sustaining life, regulating pH, facilitating biochemical reactions, and maintaining osmotic balance.
Together with organic compounds like glucose and proteins, these inorganic elements and compounds are fundamental for the survival and health of humans.