Final answer:
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the nucleic acid molecule that is double-stranded, forms a double helix, and is responsible for storing genetic information and determining traits in organisms and viruses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nucleic acid molecule that is double-stranded, helical, capable of replicating, and determining the inherited traits of organisms and viruses is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is the organic molecule that serves as the genetic material for all living organisms. It is a double helix consisting of two strands hydrogen bonded together at each nitrogenous base.
Each strand forms a backbone composed of sugars (deoxyribose in DNA) and phosphate groups. During cell division, DNA replicates its information to ensure the genetic continuity of life, and it specifies the synthesis of proteins through its roles within transcription and translation processes.