7.5 Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What is phosphoric acid?

Answer 1

inorganic acid with the potential to donate three protons

Question 2

At physiological pH, how does phosphoric acid exist?

Answer 2

mostly deprotonated form

Question 3

How are two orthophosphates bonded together?

Answer 3

anhydride linkage

Question 4

What are the three reasons that phosphate anhydride bonds store energy?

Answer 4

1. when phosphates are linked together, negative charges repel each other
2. orthophosphate is more stable due to resonance structures
3. orthophosphate has a more favorable interaction with water

Question 5

What are nucleotides?

Answer 5

building blocks of nucleic acids

Question 6

What are nucleotides composed of?

Answer 6

sugar (ribose or deoxyribose)
base (purine or pyramidine)
three phosphates

Question 7

What is the universal short term energy storage molecule?

Answer 7

ATP