Final answer:
True, ionizing radiation and oxidative damage can indeed cause DNA double-strand breaks, potentially resulting in significant genetic damage including cancer and hereditary diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
During DNA polymerization, the formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides is a crucial step in building the DNA chain. The incoming nucleotide triphosphate provides the necessary energy for this process. The high-energy phosphoanhydride bond within the incoming nucleotide is broken during polymerization. This breaking of the phosphoanhydride bond is a key event as it releases energy.
The energy released is utilized to drive the energetically unfavorable process of forming the phosphodiester bond that links the nucleotides together. This stable ester bond between the 3' carbon of one nucleotide and the 5' carbon of the next is fundamental to the structure and stability of the DNA molecule. The breaking of the phosphoanhydride bond not only facilitates polymerization but also ensures that the overall process is thermodynamically favorable.