nucleiotides
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 see Figure below . Note that in drawing the structure of organic molecules, the single hydrogen atoms are not shown in the structure but are understood to be attached at each carbon point unless another molecule is shown.