Final answer:
HIV's genetic material is composed of single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA), and the virus uses reverse transcriptase to convert this RNA into DNA within the host cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genetic material of HIV consists of single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA). Unlike most organisms which use DNA, viruses may possess either DNA or RNA as their genetic material, and it can be either single- or double-stranded. HIV belongs to a group of viruses known as retroviruses, characterized by having an RNA genome. When HIV infects a host cell, it utilizes an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA), which can then integrate into the host's DNA, allowing the virus to replicate as the host cell does. This process importantly differentiates HIV from other RNA viruses, such as the influenza virus, that do not go through a DNA intermediate during replication.