A typical 70 kg human contains approximately 7 x 1027 atoms, or 7 followed by 27 zeros. This is also described as seven billion billion billion.
Atomic Composition of a Human
While the total number of atoms is immense, the human body's atomic composition is dominated by just a few elements:
- Hydrogen (H): Makes up roughly 63% of the atoms in the human body.
- Oxygen (O): Accounts for approximately 25.5% of the atoms.
- Carbon (C): Comprises about 9.5% of the atoms.
- Nitrogen (N): Makes up approximately 1.4% of the atoms.
These four elements make up the vast majority of atoms within us. The remaining percentage is comprised of trace elements crucial for various bodily functions.
Why So Many?
The sheer number of atoms highlights the complexity of the human body. Consider that each cell contains trillions of atoms, and the average adult human has roughly 37.2 trillion cells. This multiplicative effect quickly leads to the staggeringly large number of atoms present in a human being.
Analogy
Visualizing such a large number can be challenging. Imagine trying to count to 7 x 1027. Even if you could count one number every second, it would take far longer than the age of the universe to finish!
