A scientist observed a chemical that changes to bright red in the presence of organic compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus. To test this chemical, a set of test tubes each containing a purified sample of one of the following organic compounds is prepared. The chemical is then added to each tube. Which test tube will always turn bright red?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, contain both nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore, the chemical observed by the scientist will always turn bright red in the test tube containing nucleic acids. Proteins also contain nitrogen, but not necessarily phosphorus. Carbohydrates and phospholipids do not contain either nitrogen or phosphorus in their basic structure, so the chemical will not turn red in those tubes.

A Scientist Observed a Chemical That Changes to Bright Red