Unit 2 - Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What are the “building blocks” of nucleic acids?

Answer 1

Nucleotides

Question 2

What are the 2 main types of nucleic acids?

Answer 2

1. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) 2. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

Question 3

What are the 4 functions of Nucleic Acids?

Answer 3

1. Molecule of heredity 2. Control all cell functions 3. Replicates itself 4. Undergoes mutation

Question 4

What are nucleotides composed of?

Answer 4

Deoxyribose (pentose sugar) + phosphate group = BACKBONE And nitrogenous bases (the “rungs” of the ladder)

Question 5

What are the 4 nitrogenous bases? How do they pair?

Answer 5

Adenine + Thymine Cytosine + Guanine

Question 6

Which 2 nitrogenous bases are purines?

Answer 6

Adenine and Guanine

Question 7

Which 2 nitrogenous bases are pyrimidines?

Answer 7

Thymine + Cytosine

Question 8

The structure of DNA was discovered by _____ & _____ using _____.

Answer 8

Watson & Crick, x-rays.

Question 9

Two strands of nucleotides are joined together at the bases by ______

Answer 9

Hydrogen Bonds

Question 10

Whats are the 4 main differences between DNA and RNA?

Answer 10

1. RNA has ribose instead of deoxyribose 2. RNA is single stranded instead of a double helix 3. RNA has a Uracil base instead of Thymine 4. RNA is found in BOTH the cytoplasm and the nucleaus while DNA is only found in the nucleus.

Question 11

What is ATP?

Answer 11

Adenosine Triphosphate, its the most common energy carrier molecule in cells.

Question 12

What is ATP made up of?

Answer 12

Adenine, ribose, and 3 phosphate groups

Question 13

Why does ATP give off so much energy?

Answer 13

There are high energy bonds between the phosphate groups that take a lot of energy to be created so when they’re broken they also give off a lot of energy.