A scientists finds a chemical that changes to bright red in the presence of organic compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus. To test this chemical, you prepare a set of test tubes each containing a purified sample of one of the following organic compounds. You then add the chemical to each tube. Which test tube will always turn bright red?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nucleic acids contain both nitrogen and phosphorus in their structure, so the chemical will react with them and turn the test tube bright red. Proteins and phospholipids also contain nitrogen, but not all proteins or phospholipids contain phosphorus. Carbohydrates do not contain either nitrogen or phosphorus. Therefore, the only guaranteed option would be the one with nucleic acids.

A Scientists Finds a Chemical That Changes to Bright Red