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  1. Brenna’s objective for this project is clear: the identification of the four main elements in the human body. As Brenna mentions in her essay, “The human body is composed of over 96% of just four elements, in particular they are: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.” Brenna goes on to discuss how other elements such as calcium and phosphorus play major roles in the human body as well. She describes how oxygen and hydrogen together make water and how nitrogen is a component of amino acids. Carbon bonds can be broken and formed with little energy to make chemical processes and bonding with other elements easier. Brenna highlights the idea that “without these elements for the human body, we would not be able to function, let alone live.” In her art piece, she shows a human skeleton and outlines the percentage breakdown of the elements and other important components of the human body. Her art shows that, by percentage, the four main elements of the human body are: oxygen at 65%, carbon at 18%, hydrogen at 9.5%, and nitrogen at 3.2%. She also includes the percentage of water, protein, fat, minerals, and carbohydrates in that order from highest to lowest percentage with water being the most abundant at 62% and carbohydrates the least abundant at 1%. She also shows that there are other trace elements in different part of the body, including lithium in the brain, iron in the lungs, and calcium in bones. Brenna’s identification of the four main elements of the human body and how the body’s functioning is dependent upon these elements is showcased in her art and outlines the percentages of the elements in an easy visual to understand.

    Kellie Bernstein

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