Relative abundances of the elements

(percent)

atom universe life (terrestrial vegetation) Earth ( crust)

hydrogen 87 16 3

helium 12 0* 0

carbon 0.03 21 0.1

nitrogen 0.008 3 0.0001

oxygen 0.06 59 49

neon 0.02 0 0

sodium 0.0001 0.01 0.7

magnesium 0.0003 0.04 8

aluminum 0.0002 0.001 2

silicon 0.003 0.1 14

sulfur 0.002 0.02 0.7

phosphorus 0.00003 0.03 0.07

potassium 0.000007 0.1 0.1

argon 0.0004 0 0

calcium 0.0001 0.1 2

iron 0.002 0.005 18

*0 percent here stands for any quantity less than 10^–6 percent.