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Nitrogen occurs in all organisms, primarily in amino acids (and thus proteins), in the nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and in the energy transfer molecule adenosine triphosphate. The human body contains about 3% by mass of nitrogen, the fourth most abundant element in the body after oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen.
Organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen chemically linked to one another in long chains, with carbon as the backbone and hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms. These atoms' ability to attach to one another allows for the creation of innumerable compounds conducive to life. All organisms need four types of organic molecules: nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids; life cannot exist if any of these molecules are missing.