Multiple choice

Which of the following is a valid contrast between RNA and DNA?

  1. RNA - found only in the nucleus DNA - found in the nucleus and the cytoplasm

  2. RNA - thymine is one of its bases DNA - uracil is one of its bases

  3. RNA - helical DNA - not helical

  4. RNA - sugar is ribose DNA - sugar is deoxyribose
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

RNA contains the sugar ribose, while DNA contains deoxyribose. This is a fundamental biochemical difference - the 'deoxy' in DNA means it lacks one oxygen atom that ribose has. RNA is found in both nucleus and cytoplasm, not only nucleus. DNA uses thymine and RNA uses uracil, not the reverse. Both RNA and DNA can form helical structures (RNA can be single-stranded but also forms helices like in tRNA).

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