Final answer:
DNA replication on the lagging strand occurs in short segments called Okazaki fragments, which are synthesized away from the replication fork and later joined by DNA ligase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process you are asking about is DNA replication, which must proceed in chunks called Okazaki fragments. These fragments are synthesized on the lagging strand of DNA, which is done in the direction away from the replication fork, making this process discontinuous. The leading strand, in contrast, is synthesized continuously in the direction of the replication fork. Okazaki fragments are short stretches of DNA that each begin with an RNA primer. The enzyme DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to these primers in the 5' to 3' direction, and after the fragment is synthesized, the RNA primer is replaced with DNA nucleotides. The gaps between the Okazaki fragments are then sealed by the enzyme DNA ligase, forming a continuous DNA strand.