Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What are the two types of nucleic acids?

Answer 1

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Question 2

what are the 3 subunits that make up DNA and RNA?

Answer 2

pentose sugar, phosphate, nitrogen-containing base

Question 3

What are the 3 differences between DNA and RNA?

Answer 3

• DNA has thymine, RNA has uracil
• DNA has sugar deoxyribose, RNA has sugar ribose
• DNA is double stranded with a base pairing helix, RNA is single stranded

Question 4

What are the functions of DNA and RNA?

Answer 4

DNA stores genetic information, RNA carries info from DNA to the ribosome

Question 5

What is ATP?

Answer 5

adenosine triphosphate, energy or “currency of the cells”

Question 6

What are the three functions of ATP?

Answer 6

1. supply energy to synthesize macromolecules
2. supply energy to pump substances across the plasma membrane
3. supply energy needed for processes (i.e. muscle movement)

Question 7

How does ATP release energy?

Answer 7

triphosphate + adenosine –(H2O)—> diphosphate + adenosine + phosphate + ENERGY