Which term describes a single-stranded nucleic acid that contains the sugar ribose?

Which term describes a single-stranded nucleic acid that contains the sugar ribose?

• A. DNA
• B. RNA
• C. Protein
• D. Carbohydrate

Answer: (B)

RNA, or ribonucleic acid, fits this description. It contains the sugar ribose, unlike DNA which uses deoxyribose. RNA is typically single-stranded, whereas DNA is usually double-stranded. Proteins are polymers of amino acids, not nucleic acids, and carbohydrates are a different class of biomolecules. The combination of a ribose sugar and a single-stranded structure is characteristic of RNA.

RNA, or ribonucleic acid, fits this description. It contains the sugar ribose, unlike DNA which uses deoxyribose. RNA is typically single-stranded, whereas DNA is usually double-stranded. Proteins are polymers of amino acids, not nucleic acids, and carbohydrates are a different class of biomolecules. The combination of a ribose sugar and a single-stranded structure is characteristic of RNA.