An organic compound that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus is a

An organic compound that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus is a

• A. Nucleic acid
• B. Protein
• C. Carbohydrate
• D. Lipid

Answer: (A)

Phosphorus appears in nucleic acids because each nucleotide includes a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar—ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA—provides carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The nitrogenous bases supply nitrogen, and the phosphate group provides phosphorus. This combination means a biomolecule with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus is characteristic of nucleic acids. Proteins have C, H, O, and N but not phosphorus in their primary structure. Carbohydrates are built from C, H, and O, typically without phosphorus. Lipids are mainly C, H, and O, with phosphorus only in rare phospholipids, but they aren’t defined by containing all five elements. So the answer is nucleic acids.

Phosphorus appears in nucleic acids because each nucleotide includes a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base. The sugar—ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA—provides carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The nitrogenous bases supply nitrogen, and the phosphate group provides phosphorus. This combination means a biomolecule with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus is characteristic of nucleic acids. Proteins have C, H, O, and N but not phosphorus in their primary structure. Carbohydrates are built from C, H, and O, typically without phosphorus. Lipids are mainly C, H, and O, with phosphorus only in rare phospholipids, but they aren’t defined by containing all five elements. So the answer is nucleic acids.