DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid and is a molecule made of two backbones and four types of chemicals bases. The backbone is composed of a chain of phosphates and sugars. The sugar molecules provide a place for the chemical bases to attach. There are four types of chemical bases: adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.

DNA provides ‘instructions’ to the cells on how to make specific proteins which are used by the cell to function, grow, and survive. In groups of three, these are called codons. In larger sections they are called genes. These genes are passed down to offspring during DNA replication. During DNA replication, the double helix untwists, and the two strands separate, and a copy is made. This must happen before cell division occurs so that the new cell will have the same genetic information as the old cell.