DNA Basics

Front

What is DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)?

Back

The material inside all living things that carries the instructions for how an organism grows, looks, and functions.

Front

What is a Nucleotide?

Back

The small building block of DNA. Each nucleotide has three parts: sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogen base.

Front

What is the shape of DNA called?

Back

Double Helix. It looks like a twisted ladder, with two strands of DNA twisted around each other.

Front

What does 'Sequence' refer to in DNA?

Back

The order of the nitrogen bases (A, T, C, G) in a strand of DNA.

Front

What are the base pairing rules in DNA?

Back

Adenine (A) always pairs with Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C) always pairs with Guanine (G).

Front

What is a Trait?

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A characteristic or feature of an organism, like eye color, height, or hair type.

Front

What is the Nucleus?

Back

The part of a cell that holds the DNA. It is like the 'control center' of the cell.

Front

What is the Sugar-Phosphate Backbone?

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The 'sides' of the DNA ladder, made of sugar and phosphate molecules that help hold the structure together.

Front

What is Replication in terms of DNA?

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The process of making an exact copy of DNA so that each new cell has the same DNA after cell division.

Front

What does 'Complementary' mean in DNA?

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Matching or fitting together. In DNA, it refers to the way certain bases pair with each other: Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G).