RNA and DNA Reading Comprehension and Worksheets - Classful - Free Printable

Let’s go through each worksheet section one by one and answer the questions clearly.

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DNA PRACTICE (Worksheet 2)

1. What is the full name of DNA?
→ Deoxyribonucleic acid

2. What does DNA contain?
→ Genetic information that codes for traits — like eye color, height, etc.

3. What does DNA code for?
→ Proteins — which do most of the work in your body and help build and run your cells.

4. Describe the structure of DNA.
→ It’s a double helix — like a twisted ladder. The sides are made of sugar and phosphate, and the rungs are pairs of bases: A with T, and C with G.

5. What are nucleotides and what do they make up of?
→ Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA. Each has three parts: a sugar (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base (A, T, C, or G).

6. What makes up the DNA’s backbone?
→ Sugar and phosphate groups alternating along the outside of the double helix.

7. What does the sequence of base pairs determine?
→ Your genetic code — it tells your body how to make proteins, which control your traits and functions.

8. Where is DNA found in eukaryotic cells?
→ Mostly in the nucleus. Some is also in mitochondria.

9 & 10. Write the correct letter of the complementary base pair for each nucleotide in DNA.

Remember:
- A pairs with T
- T pairs with A
- C pairs with G
- G pairs with C

For #9: Top strand is A G C T G A T C T G A C T C A
→ Bottom strand should be: T C G A C T A G A C T G A G T

For #10: Top strand is T G A G T C A G A T C A G C T
→ Bottom strand should be: A C T C A G T C T A G T C G A

*(Note: In the image, some letters are already filled in as examples — we’re completing the rest based on pairing rules.)*

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RNA PRACTICE (Worksheet 4)

1. What is the full name of RNA?
→ Ribonucleic acid

2. What is the primary role of RNA?
→ To carry instructions from DNA to make proteins.

3. How many strands does a molecule of mRNA contain?
→ One strand (it’s single-stranded)

4. What are the building blocks of proteins?
→ Amino acids

5. Summarize the roles of the following types of RNA:

| Type | Role |
|------|------|
| mRNA | Carries the genetic message from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome in the cytoplasm. |
| tRNA | Brings amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis. Matches them to the mRNA code. |
| rRNA | Makes up part of the ribosome — where proteins are built. |

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DNA VS. RNA (Worksheet with crossword and table)

First, let’s fill out the table:

| Characteristic | DNA | RNA |
|----------------------------|-----|-----|
| contains ribose sugar | | ✓ |
| contains deoxyribose sugar | ✓ | |
| type of nucleic acid | ✓ | ✓ |
| double-stranded | ✓ | |
| single-stranded | | ✓ |
| stays in the nucleus | ✓ | |
| moves into the cytoplasm | | ✓ |
| made up of nucleotides | ✓ | ✓ |
| contains uracil | | ✓ |
| contains guanine | ✓ | ✓ |
| contains adenine | ✓ | ✓ |
| contains genetic code | ✓ | ✓ *(mRNA carries it, but DNA holds the original)* |

Now, the crossword clues:

Across:
8. location of DNA in eukaryotic cells → nucleus

Down:
1. sugar and this group form the backbone → phosphate

*(Other crossword answers depend on grid size and intersecting words — but since only two clues are given, we’ll stick to those.)*

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Final Answer:

DNA Practice Answers:
1. Deoxyribonucleic acid
2. Genetic information for traits
3. Proteins
4. Double helix with sugar-phosphate backbone and base pairs (A-T, C-G)
5. Building blocks of DNA; made of sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen base
6. Sugar and phosphate
7. Traits and protein instructions
8. Nucleus (and mitochondria)
9. T C G A C T A G A C T G A G T
10. A C T C A G T C T A G T C G A

RNA Practice Answers:
1. Ribonucleic acid
2. Carry DNA’s instructions to make proteins
3. One
4. Amino acids
5. mRNA = carries code; tRNA = brings amino acids; rRNA = builds ribosomes

DNA vs. RNA Table Checkmarks:
- Ribose sugar → RNA
- Deoxyribose sugar → DNA
- Nucleic acid → both
- Double-stranded → DNA
- Single-stranded → RNA
- Stays in nucleus → DNA
- Moves to cytoplasm → RNA
- Made of nucleotides → both
- Contains uracil → RNA
- Contains guanine/adenine → both
- Contains genetic code → both (DNA stores, RNA carries)

Crossword:
Across 8: nucleus
Down 1: phosphate