Which element is a major component of nucleic acids and of phospholipids but is absent from simple sugars such as glucose?

Core Concept

Phosphorus sits in the phosphate groups that link nucleotides into the backbone of DNA and RNA and that face the watery surroundings in every phospholipid head. Simple sugars contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen arranged near a CH2O ratio, so no phosphorus appears anywhere in glucose. Matching elements to macromolecule classes is core chemistry-of-life knowledge. Phosphorus also turns up in ATP, underscoring its tie to energy handling and information storage.