A1.2 Nucleic Acids

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the level of organization at which nucleic acids primarily function?

• Organ systems

• Cells

• Molecules

• Tissues

Open Ended

Why do you think nucleic acids are considered fundamental to both unity and diversity among living organisms?

Open Ended

How does the structure of nucleic acids allow hereditary information to be stored?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best describes the structure of DNA as outlined in the IB syllabus?

• DNA is a single helix made of one strand of nucleotides.

• DNA is a double helix made of two antiparallel strands of nucleotides linked by hydrogen bonding between complementary base pairs.

• DNA is a triple helix with three parallel strands of nucleotides.

• DNA is a double helix with two parallel strands of nucleotides linked by covalent bonds.

Multiple Select

Select all the correct statements about the differences between DNA and RNA.

• DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, while RNA contains ribose sugar.

• DNA is usually double-stranded, while RNA is usually single-stranded.

• Both DNA and RNA contain the base thymine.

• RNA can act as a genetic material in some viruses.

Open Ended

Explain the significance of the conservation of the genetic code across all life forms as evidence of universal common ancestry.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a key term related to nucleic acids?

• Deoxyribose

• Antiparallel

• Metabolism

• Chlorophyll

Fill in the Blanks

DNA as the genetic material of all living organisms is supported by the fact that some viruses use

as their genetic material.

Multiple Choice

Which component is present in both RNA and DNA nucleotides?

• Phosphate

• Thymine

• Uracil

• Amino acid

Multiple Choice

Which of the following nitrogen bases is found only in RNA and not in DNA?

• Uracil

• Thymine

• Adenine

• Cytosine

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about polynucleotides is/are correct?

• Both DNA and RNA are polynucleotides.

• Polynucleotides form through condensation reactions.

• Sugar-phosphate bonding forms the backbone of nucleic acids.

• Polynucleotides are made only of amino acids.

Fill in the Blanks

A covalent bond forms between the phosphate of one nucleotide and the

of the second nucleotide.

Open Ended

Explain the significance of the sugar-phosphate backbone in the structure of DNA and RNA.

Open Ended

State the names of the nitrogen bases found in DNA and RNA.

Fill in the Blanks

The covalent bond in RNA connects the ribose sugar of one nucleotide to the

of the next nucleotide.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are components of a single RNA nucleotide?

• Phosphate group

• Ribose sugar

• Nitrogen base

• Deoxyribose sugar

Open Ended

Explain the process by which RNA nucleotides are joined together to form an RNA polymer. Include the type of bond formed and the components involved.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following nitrogen bases is found in RNA but not in DNA?

• Uracil

• Thymine

• Adenine

• Guanine

Open Ended

Describe two structural differences between DNA and RNA molecules.

Multiple Select

Which of the following base pairs are found in DNA?

• Adenine-Thymine

• Guanine-Cytosine

• Adenine-Uracil

• Cytosine-Thymine

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the level of organisation discussed in the lesson on nucleic acids?

• Cells

• Tissues

• Molecules

• Organs

Open Ended

What is one new thing you learned about nucleic acids in this lesson?