Show by drawing structures how the phosphate and sugar components of a nucleic acid are joined.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the basic structure of a nucleotide, which is the building block of nucleic acids. A nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a sugar molecule (either ribose or deoxyribose), and a nitrogenous base.
2. Step 2: Focus on the sugar and phosphate components. The sugar in nucleic acids is a pentose sugar, which means it has five carbon atoms. In DNA, this sugar is deoxyribose, and in RNA, it is ribose.
3. Step 3: Identify the specific carbon atoms in the sugar molecule that are involved in forming the backbone of the nucleic acid. The 3' and 5' carbon atoms of the sugar are crucial for forming the phosphodiester bond.
4. Step 4: Illustrate the formation of a phosphodiester bond. The phosphate group connects to the 5' carbon of one sugar and the 3' carbon of the next sugar, creating a sugar-phosphate backbone. This bond is formed through a dehydration reaction, releasing a molecule of water.
5. Step 5: Draw the repeating sugar-phosphate backbone structure. This backbone is a key feature of nucleic acids, providing structural integrity and directionality (5' to 3') to the DNA or RNA strand.