Which chemical makes up approximately 60% of the human body and is a major component of most foods, and what are the three elements that compose this chemical?

• A. Glucose; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
• B. Sodium chloride; sodium, chlorine, oxygen
• C. Carbon dioxide; carbon, oxygen, hydrogen
• D. Water; hydrogen, oxygen

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical that constitutes about 60% of the human body and is a major component of most foods. This chemical is essential for life and is involved in many biological processes.
2. Recall that water is the most abundant chemical in the human body, making up roughly 60% of body weight, and is a major component of foods.
3. Understand that water is composed of two elements: hydrogen and oxygen, with the chemical formula \(\mathrm{H_2O}\).
4. Review the other options: glucose is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; sodium chloride is made of sodium and chlorine (no oxygen); carbon dioxide is made of carbon and oxygen only.
5. Conclude that the correct chemical is water, and the three elements that compose it are hydrogen and oxygen (note that water contains only these two elements, not three).