Which molecule serves as the monomer for nucleic acids?

Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are polymers made up of repeating units known as monomers. The specific monomer for nucleic acids is nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base (which can be adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, or uracil).

Nucleotides link together through phosphodiester bonds to form the long chains that make up nucleic acids. This structural framework is essential for the encoding, transmission, and expression of genetic information. Understanding that nucleotides are the building blocks is crucial for grasping how genetic material is synthesized and the role it plays in cellular processes.