Not Clothes

It's Atoms and Molecules That Make the Man,
Not Clothes
What Is the Most Basic Composition of Our Body?
Let's say that we had access to fancy laboratory equipment capable of
determining the most fundamental composition of an object. If we used
this equipment to assess a man or woman it would spit out some interest-
ing data on our most basic level of composition—elements. Elements are
substances that cannot be broken down into other substances. Scientists
have determined that there are one hundred or so of these elements in
nature. Some of the more recognizable elements include carbon, oxygen,
hydrogen, nitrogen , iron, zinc , copper, potassium, and calcium. All of the
elements known to exist can be found on the periodic table of elements,
which we have all come across at one point or another in our schooling.
(the periodic table of elements is included as Appendix A in case you feel
the need for another peek.) Now, imagine that everything that you can
think of is merely a skillful combination of these same elements. This
includes cars, boats, buildings, clouds, oceans, trees, and of course our
body. In fact, our body employs about twenty-seven of the elements as
displayed in Table 1.1 and Appendix A.