Final answer:
Nucleic acids encode instructions for making proteins, help make proteins, and pass the instructions from parents to offspring. They carry the genetic blueprint of a cell and are essential for the continuity of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, have several main functions in living things. They encode instructions for making proteins, help make proteins, and pass these instructions from parents to offspring. Nucleic acids carry the genetic blueprint of a cell and are essential for the continuity of life. They serve as the information molecules that provide the instructions for biochemical reactions in living organisms.