Colorado Cosmetology Written Practice Exam

The correct answer is that carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen form the basis of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and contain these four elements as essential components in their structure. Each amino acid has a basic structure that includes a central carbon atom, an amino group (which contains nitrogen), a carboxyl group (which contains oxygen), a hydrogen atom, and a variable side chain (or R group) that can differ among different amino acids. This composition is fundamental to the formation of all proteins within living organisms.

Carbohydrates are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but do not contain nitrogen, which distinguishes them from amino acids. Enzymes, while made of proteins which consist of amino acids, also rely on a broader range of elements beyond the basic four, and their function is more complex than just their elemental composition. Proteins themselves are formed from amino acids, which are the direct link to the given elements in the question.