Atoms in the solar system, including those in humans, were created billions of years ago in the universe’s beginning or by star processes. Hydrogen was created in the big bang, and heavier elements are formed during extreme astrophysical events. The human body is mostly made up of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
The vast majority of atoms currently in the solar system, including those that make up every human being on Earth, were created billions of years ago: either at the beginning of the known universe, or by processes occurring in stars. This means that each person is made up of atoms that have been forged by ancient cosmic events. 96% of human mass is made up of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.
Hydrogen, the lightest element, with atomic number 1 (meaning it has only one proton in its nucleus) was created in the big bang, which scientists currently believe occurred nearly 14 billion years ago.
Atoms of hydrogen and helium are combined by stars during the process of nuclear fusion to form other elements, such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. The heavier elements (such as gold, silver and lead) are created when extreme astrophysical events occur, such as supernovae.
Read more about the human body:
By some estimates, the combined value of the elements in an average human body is worth about $160 USD.
Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body because an average human is between 50-70% water.
The average adult is made up of about seven trillion trillion atoms, a number you would write as a seven with 27 zeros.
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