Final answer:
C) Nucleotides are most closely related to nucleic acids, as they are the basic building blocks that make up the long chains of DNA and RNA, which function in genetic information storage and protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The molecules most closely related to nucleic acids are nucleotides. Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA. Each nucleotide consists of a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base. These nitrogenous bases are responsible for the genetic information stored in DNA and RNA.
Nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are long chains of nucleotides, which are made of three parts: a pentose sugar, a nitrogen-containing base, and a phosphate group. DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose, and RNA contains ribose; both sugars are critical components of the corresponding nucleotide. Differences between DNA and RNA include the presence of the nitrogenous base thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA, as well as the absence of an oxygen atom on the second carbon in the sugar ring of DNA. These nucleotides serve as the fundamental building units that store genetic information in the form of codes for DNA and facilitate protein synthesis for RNA. In addition, nucleotides like ATP (adenosine triphosphate) play an essential role in cellular energy transfer.