Final answer:
The claim that the -OH group on the 3' carbon is the attachment site for the nitrogenous base is incorrect; the nitrogenous base is attached to the 1' carbon, while the phosphate group is connected to the 5' carbon.
Step-by-step explanation:
The structure of nucleic acids is vital for their function in storing and transmitting genetic information. In the structure of a nucleotide, which is the basic building block of DNA and RNA, the pentose sugar plays a crucial role. This sugar can be either ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA. Each sugar molecule contains five carbon atoms, designated as 1', 2', 3', 4', and 5' (prime notation is used to distinguish these from the nitrogenous base carbons). The nitrogenous base is actually attached to the 1' carbon of the pentose sugar, not the 3' carbon as suggested in the question. Furthermore, the phosphate group is connected to the 5' carbon. It's important to correct this misconception because the orientation and connections of these molecules are critical for the formation of the characteristic double helix of DNA or the single-stranded structure of RNA. Specifically, nucleotides are joined together in a polynucleotide chain through phosphodiester linkages between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the 3' -OH group of another.