Which term refers to the self-replicating genetic material that is the main component of chromosomes in many organisms?

• A. RNA
• B. Nucleotide
• C. DNA
• D. Nucleic Acid

Answer: (C)

DNA is the molecule that carries genetic information in chromosomes and can copy itself during cell division. Its structure as two long strands of nucleotides in a double helix, with complementary base pairing (A pairs with T, C with G), allows enzymes to unzip and build new strands, making exact copies for daughter cells. This self-replication is what enables inheritance. RNA is another nucleic acid involved in reading and expressing genes, but it isn’t the main, long-term genetic material in most organisms. A nucleotide is just a single building block, and nucleic acid is the broad category that includes DNA and RNA. So the term that fits is DNA.