Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are composed of nucleotides, which are made up of three components: a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate group.

Nitrogenous bases: There are five nitrogenous bases found in RNA molecules: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), uracil (U), and thymine (T).

* Adenine and guanine are purines, which have a double-ring structure.

* Cytosine, uracil, and thymine are pyrimidines, which have a single-ring structure.

Ribose sugar: The ribose sugar in RNA molecules is a five-carbon sugar. It has a hydroxyl group (-OH) at the 2' carbon atom, which gives RNA molecules their characteristic shape.

Phosphate group: The phosphate group in RNA molecules is a negatively charged group (-PO4). It forms phosphodiester bonds between the 3' carbon atom of one ribose sugar and the 5' carbon atom of the next ribose sugar, creating a backbone of alternating sugar and phosphate groups.

The sequence of these nucleotides along the RNA chain determines the genetic information carried by the molecule.

Here is a table summarizing the components of RNA molecules:

| Component | Description |

|---|---|

| Nitrogenous bases | Adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), uracil (U), and thymine (T) |

| Ribose sugar | Five-carbon sugar with a hydroxyl group (-OH) at the 2' carbon atom |

| Phosphate group | Negatively charged group (-PO4) that forms phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides |