Which statement correctly describes a key difference between DNA and RNA?

• A. DNA contains ribose sugar and uracil, whereas RNA contains deoxyribose sugar and thymine.
• B. DNA is usually single-stranded and uses uracil, whereas RNA is usually double-stranded and uses thymine.
• C. DNA typically contains deoxyribose sugar and thymine, whereas RNA typically contains ribose sugar and uracil.
• D. DNA and RNA are identical in sugar type and nitrogenous bases but differ only in cellular location.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the structural components of nucleic acids, focusing on the sugar and nitrogenous bases present in DNA and RNA.
2. Step 2: Recall that DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose, which lacks one oxygen atom compared to ribose, the sugar found in RNA.
3. Step 3: Identify the nitrogenous bases unique to each molecule: DNA contains thymine, while RNA contains uracil instead of thymine.
4. Step 4: Recognize the typical strand structure: DNA is usually double-stranded forming a double helix, whereas RNA is usually single-stranded.
5. Step 5: Use this information to evaluate each statement and determine which correctly contrasts DNA and RNA based on sugar type, nitrogenous bases, and strand structure.