Multiple Choice
Which type of nucleic acid is typically composed of only one strand of nucleotides?
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4. Biomolecules
Nucleic Acids
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Which three components make up a nucleotide?
A
A phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base
B
A phosphate group, a fatty acid, and a nitrogenous base
C
A five-carbon sugar, a glycerol molecule, and a nitrogenous base
D
A phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and an amino acid
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the structure of a nucleotide. A nucleotide is the building block of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. It consists of three main components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
Step 2: Analyze the options provided in the question. Compare each option to the known structure of a nucleotide to identify which components match the correct structure.
Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options. For example, a fatty acid and glycerol molecule are components of lipids, not nucleotides. Similarly, an amino acid is a building block of proteins, not nucleotides.
Step 4: Confirm the correct answer. The correct combination of components for a nucleotide is a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
Step 5: Review the importance of each component. The phosphate group provides a negative charge, the five-carbon sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose) forms the backbone, and the nitrogenous base (adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, or uracil) carries genetic information.
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