What chemicals does life use in order to survive?

Life primarily relies on a few key chemicals, including water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Water serves as a solvent and medium for biochemical reactions, while carbon forms the backbone of organic molecules. Oxygen and nitrogen are essential for cellular respiration and the formation of proteins and nucleic acids, respectively. Phosphorus is crucial for energy transfer and genetic material, while sulfur is important for certain amino acids and enzymes.