elemental composition

Elemental composition refers to the types and amounts of chemical elements that make up a material or sample. Think of it as a recipe; each element is an ingredient, like iron or oxygen, in specific quantities. Understanding the elemental composition helps scientists identify what a substance is, how it behaves, and how it interacts with other materials. It's often expressed as percentages or ratios, revealing the proportions of each element present. This information is essential across fields like chemistry, geology, and materials science for analyzing and characterizing different substances.