Nucleic Acids Explained: Structure, Function, & Examples

We break down nucleic acids by looking at what they are, what their monomer is, how nucleotides differ from one another (sugar and nitrogenous base), the bases found in DNA vs. RNA, which bases pair together/how this creates a double-helix structure, and the functions of DNA and RNA. We also address why RNA contains Uracil rather than Thymine. We close with a recap slide of all the information covered. This is intended for honors or AP biology students. It is also useful as a refresher for college students. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:13 Examples + monomer 0:40 Structure of a nucleotide 2:26 Purines vs. pyrimidines 3:29 Why does RNA have U? 4:43 Base pairing + bonding 6:24 Functions 7:27 Recap slide