What are the basic components of a nucleotide?

Options

A. A nitrogeneous base
B. A pentose sugar
C. A phosphate group
D. All of these

Answer

To answer the question, "What are the basic components of a nucleotide?", we can break down the information into clear steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Nucleotides**:
- Nucleotides are the basic building blocks of nucleic acids, which include DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid).

2. **Identifying the Components**:
- A nucleotide consists of three main components:
1. **Nitrogenous Base**: This can be one of the following:
- Adenine (A)
- Guanine (G)
- Cytosine (C)
- Thymine (T) - only in DNA
- Uracil (U) - only in RNA
2. **Pentose Sugar**: This is a five-carbon sugar that can be:
- Deoxyribose (in DNA)
- Ribose (in RNA)
3. **Phosphate Group**: This is a phosphate molecule that is attached to the sugar.

3. **Summarizing the Components**:
- Therefore, the basic components of a nucleotide are:
- Nitrogenous Base
- Pentose Sugar
- Phosphate Group

4. **Conclusion**:
- The correct answer to the question is that nucleotides are composed of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group.