The big idea: RNA is a long chain of nucleotides. Each one is added by a condensation reaction, which releases water and makes a covalent bond.
The points to remember
- A polymer is a long chain of small units called monomers.
- RNA is a polymer; its monomers are RNA nucleotides.
- Nucleotides are joined by condensation reactions.
- Each condensation releases one water molecule (H₂O).
- It makes a covalent bond from the sugar of one nucleotide to the phosphate of the next.
Remember it as: Condensation: join and lose water.
Do not swap the two reactions: Condensation joins monomers and releases water. Hydrolysis does the opposite: water is used to split the bond.
These chains can be very long:
Real example: a giant RNA: The RNA copy of the gene for titin, a protein in your muscles, is about 100 000 nucleotides long: about 100 000 condensation reactions in one molecule.
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The big idea: To draw an RNA polymer, draw nucleotides one under another and join each ribose to the next phosphate.
The points to remember
- RNA is a single strand: draw one chain only.
- The sugar is ribose; the bases are A, C, G and U, never T.
- Join each ribose to the phosphate of the next nucleotide.
- All the bases stick out on the same side of the strand.
Three things that lose marks: Drawing two strands (that is DNA). Putting thymine in RNA. Joining the bases to each other instead of joining sugar to phosphate.
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How it is asked: A one-mark State on the reaction, and drawing: a single nucleotide or a short RNA strand.
IB-style questionState[1 mark]
State the type of chemical reaction that joins two RNA nucleotides together.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.
And a drawing task in the same style:
IB-style questionDraw[3 marks]
Draw a labelled diagram of a short RNA polymer made of three nucleotides.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.