Final answer:
The enzyme responsible for adding nucleotides to form new strands of DNA during DNA replication is DNA polymerase (option b) , which synthesizes the new DNA strand complementary to the template strand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme that adds nucleotides to form new strands of DNA during the process of DNA replication is known as DNA polymerase. This enzyme catalyzes the addition of nucleotides to the growing DNA chain in a sequence that is complementary to the template strand. Additionally, DNA polymerase requires a primer with a free 3' end to initiate the synthesis of a new DNA strand and it synthesizes in a 5' to 3' direction, adding nucleotides to the 3' end of the molecule. The process includes the continuous synthesis of the leading strand and the discontinuous synthesis of the lagging strand which is formed in short segments known as Okazaki fragments.
The energy for the addition of nucleotides is derived from the high-energy phosphate bonds in nucleoside triphosphates, such as ATP, GTP, TTP, and CTP, which are used both as substrates and energy sources for the polymerization process. Taken altogether, DNA polymerase is essential for the accurate and efficient replication of DNA, ensuring that each cell receives a complete set of genetic information during cell division.