Final answer:
Nucleic acids are composed of nucleotides, which contain a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. RNA uses ribose as its sugar component, while DNA uses deoxyribose. The difference between the two is the presence of a hydroxyl group in RNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basic components of nucleic acids are nucleotides. A nucleotide is a molecule that contains a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base. The five-carbon sugar is either ribose, in the case of RNA, or deoxyribose, in the case of DNA. The only difference between the two molecules is the presence of a hydroxyl group attached to one member of the carbon ring in RNA. In DNA, that same carbon atom is attached only to a hydrogen atom.