Final answer:
Steroids have a basic structure of four fused carbon rings: three six-membered and one five-membered ring. Cholesterol is a common steroid that follows this structure, with additional groups attached.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basic structure of a steroid is a ring structure. Steroids have a core structure composed of four fused rings in a specific configuration: three six-membered rings designated A, B, and C, and one five-membered ring D. This structure is commonly referred to as a steroid skeleton. An example of a steroid is cholesterol, which is the basis for all steroids formed in the body.
The basic structure of a steroid is a ring structure composed of four fused carbon rings. Specifically, this configuration includes three six-membered rings, referred to as A, B, and C rings, and one five-membered ring, known as the D ring. Cholesterol is an example of a steroid and has additional methyl groups and an aliphatic chain attached to this core structure.