RNA stands for

RNA stands for

• A. Nucleic acid.
• B. Deoxyribonucleic acid.
• C. Ribonucleic acid.
• D. Ribose nucleic acid.

Answer: (C)

RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. The name points to its two defining features: it is a type of nucleic acid and it uses ribose as its sugar. The ribose sugar—bearing a hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon—distinguishes RNA from DNA, which uses deoxyribose. The “nucleic” part shows it’s in the family of polymers that store and convey genetic information, and “acid” is the traditional suffix used for these large biomolecules. The other options are less precise: “nucleic acid” is true but too general for the specific molecule, “deoxyribonucleic acid” is the full name of DNA, and “ribose nucleic acid” isn’t the standard, widely accepted term.

RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. The name points to its two defining features: it is a type of nucleic acid and it uses ribose as its sugar. The ribose sugar—bearing a hydroxyl group on the 2' carbon—distinguishes RNA from DNA, which uses deoxyribose. The “nucleic” part shows it’s in the family of polymers that store and convey genetic information, and “acid” is the traditional suffix used for these large biomolecules. The other options are less precise: “nucleic acid” is true but too general for the specific molecule, “deoxyribonucleic acid” is the full name of DNA, and “ribose nucleic acid” isn’t the standard, widely accepted term.