The highest factor contributing to the dry weight of organisms is

Options

A. Water
B. Carbon
C. Hydrogen
D. Nitrogen

Answer

To determine the highest factor contributing to the dry weight of organisms, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Dry Weight**:
- Dry weight refers to the mass of an organism after all water has been removed. It represents the biomass of the organism excluding any water content.

2. **Components of Dry Weight**:
- The dry weight of an organism consists of various elements, primarily carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other minerals.

3. **Analyzing the Contribution of Each Element**:
- **Carbon**: It is known that carbon constitutes a significant portion of the dry weight of organisms. In fact, it typically accounts for about 50% of the dry weight.
- **Hydrogen**: This element contributes around 6-10% to the dry weight.
- **Nitrogen**: Nitrogen contributes approximately 11.94% to the dry weight.

4. **Identifying the Highest Contributor**:
- Among the components analyzed, carbon is the most abundant element in the dry weight of organisms, making up about 50%.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the highest factor contributing to the dry weight of organisms is carbon.

### Final Answer:
The highest factor contributing to the dry weight of organisms is **carbon**.

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