The Human Brain from the Point of View of Physics and Chemistry The human brain is a system that maintains a complex order within itself as long as energy continuously flows through it: it comes in with the blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, and leaves into the surrounding world as heat. A candle flame and a whirlpool in a river work the same way: their form persists while the flow continues, and disappears when it stops. In physics, such systems are called non-equilibrium dissipative systems. The brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms and consists of roughly 10 26 atoms (a one followed by twenty-six zeros). Foundation: long chains of carbon-based molecules (called polymers) that operate in a water environment. Chemistry: about 97% of its mass comes from four elements — oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The rest is phosphorus, sodium, potassium, sulfur, chlorine, calcium, and ti...
.jfif)
