Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 22: Problem 24

What is the difference between ribose and deoxyribose?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The main difference between ribose and deoxyribose is that ribose has one more oxygen atom than deoxyribose. Ribose is found in RNA and has a chemical formula of \(C_5H_{10}O_5\), while deoxyribose is found in DNA and has a chemical formula of \(C_5H_{10}O_4\).

Step by step solution

01

Understand Ribose

Ribose is a pentose sugar, meaning it consists of five carbon atoms. Its chemical formula is \(C_5H_{10}O_5\). Ribose is commonly found in RNA (Ribonucleic acid), a molecule responsible for decoding, regulating and expressing genes.
02

Understand Deoxyribose

Deoxyribose, similarly to ribose, is a pentose sugar and has five carbon atoms. Its chemical formula is \(C_5H_{10}O_4\), which shows it has one less oxygen atom than ribose. Deoxyribose is found in DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), a molecule crucial for the storage of genetic information.
03

Highlight the Main Difference

The major difference between ribose and deoxyribose is that ribose has one more oxygen atom than deoxyribose. In ribose, all the carbon atoms are bonded with one hydroxyl group (\(OH\)), whereas, in deoxyribose, one of the carbon atoms (the 2' carbon) is bonded with a hydrogen atom instead of a hydroxyl group, hence the 'deoxy' in deoxyribose.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

When deoxyhemoglobin crystals are exposed to oxygen, they shatter. On the other hand, deoxymyoglobin crystals are unaffected by oxygen. Explain. (Myoglobin is made up of only one of the four subunits, or polypeptide chains, in hemoglobin.)

Discuss the importance of hydrogen bonding in biological systems. Use proteins and nucleic acids as examples.

Draw structures of the nucleotides containing the following components: (a) deoxyribose and cytosine, (b) ribose and uracil.

Name 10 objects that contain synthetic organic polymers.

The folding of a polypeptide chain depends not only on its amino acid sequence but also on the nature of the solvent. Discuss the types of interactions that might occur between water molecules and the amino acid residues of the polypeptide chain. Which groups would be exposed on the exterior of the protein in contact with water and which groups would be buried in the interior of the protein?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free