a certain organic molecule always contains a five - carbon sugar connected to a phosphate group and a…

a certain organic molecule always contains a five - carbon sugar connected to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. this molecule belongs to which of the following groups? \na. carbohydrates\nb. lipids\nc. nucleic acids\nd. proteins

a certain organic molecule always contains a five - carbon sugar connected to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. this molecule belongs to which of the following groups? \na. carbohydrates\nb. lipids\nc. nucleic acids\nd. proteins

Answer

Brief Explanations:

  1. Analyze Option A: Carbohydrates are mainly composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the general formula (C_n(H_2O)_m). They are typically sugars, starches, or fibers and do not have a consistent structure of a five - carbon sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base. So, this molecule is not a carbohydrate.
  2. Analyze Option B: Lipids are a diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, including fats, oils, phospholipids, and steroids. Their structure is very different from a molecule with a five - carbon sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base. So, this molecule is not a lipid.
  3. Analyze Option C: Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are made up of nucleotides. A nucleotide consists of a five - carbon sugar (deoxyribose in DNA, ribose in RNA), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine in DNA; adenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil in RNA). The described molecule matches the structure of a nucleotide, which is the building block of nucleic acids.
  4. Analyze Option D: Proteins are made up of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Amino acids have an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain, which is very different from the structure of the given molecule. So, this molecule is not a protein.

Answer:

C. nucleic acids