How life began in this world? Are cells made up of atoms?

[Kohila]

I get this doubt often. All things that exist in the universe are primarily made of atoms. Does a cell contains atom as a smallest particle. If so, how does a group of elements form a living structure? So, confusing!

[Strange]

Yes, cells are made of atoms. The atoms are in all the molecules that make up the chemistry of the cell: water, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes, DNA, etc. All are chemical compounds made of atoms. The structures of the cell (membranes, protoplasm, nucleus, organelles, etc.) are all made of these chemicicals and so are made of atoms. The cell is alve because of the biochemical processes going on between these molecules and atoms.

 

As to how life began, this is not known with any certainty yet. But there are some very good hypotheses, based on various lines of eveidence. It isn't an area I know a lot about so maybe someone else can provide more info.

[AlphaZNV]

You're are only confused because, likely, you relate life to consciousness by your definition, whereas limited information relating chemical relationships to consciousness is provided.

If you exclude advanced consciousness so far as we know in contrast to other organisms discovered, and follow by definition, it will become very clear to you how cells (compose of many molecules / elements, essentially, entities by specific term) can compose living organisms. Atoms just compose element, which, by traditional science, everything is composed of atoms.

[StringJunky]

Life is an emergent property of atoms and molecules. That is to say, at some level of complexity, this group of atoms and molecules that seem to be acting collectively in a concerted and autonomous way, becomes defined as 'alive'. I found this article about emergence which might help to enable your understanding of it which I think is important to grasp as a concept in order to mentally transit from the non-living molecules through to the living organism.

 

http://io9.com/5844183/emergence-the-scientific-concept-that-explains-slime-friction-and-brooklyn-neighborhoods

Edited November 2, 2013 by StringJunky

[dr.vibhorMD]

Everything in this universe which has mass and volume(which is called as matter) is made of atoms. Life is nothing but a co-ordinated sequences of chemical reactions going on inside the cells. Reactions going on inside it prevents it from getting disintegrated.

[AndresKiani]

There is two centuries of scientific proof that indicate all matter is built on atoms and molecules.

 

 

I mean all of biology is specially cellular, because of the molecular level it is at. You really deal with chemical properties and chemistry extensively.