Final answer:
DNA polymerase is an enzyme that adds nucleotides to the growing DNA chain during replication. It requires energy to catalyse the formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides.
Step-by-step explanation:
DNA polymerase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in DNA replication. It adds nucleotides one by one to the growing DNA chain that are complementary to the template strand. The addition of nucleotides requires energy, which is obtained from nucleotides with three phosphate groups attached. The single active site of DNA polymerase can catalyse reactions such as the formation of phosphodiester bonds between incoming nucleotides and the growing chain during replication.