This document discusses nucleic acids and compares DNA and RNA. It notes that nucleic acids are composed of nucleotides, which consist of a nucleoside (a nitrogenous base attached to a pentose sugar) bonded to a phosphate group. There are two types of nucleic acids: DNA contains the sugars deoxyribose and bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine, and is found in the nucleus where it directs synthesis of RNA via transcription. RNA contains the sugar ribose and bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil instead of thymine, and is found in the cytoplasm where it directs protein synthesis via translation. Purine bases have two rings while pyrimidine bases