Here's a breakdown:
* Nitrogenous bases: These are the "letters" of the DNA code. There are four types: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).
* Pairing: The bases always pair up in a specific way: A with T, and G with C. This is called complementary base pairing.
* Hydrogen bonds: These are weak bonds that form between the paired bases. While individually weak, the many hydrogen bonds along the length of the DNA molecule create a strong and stable structure.
So, imagine the two strands of DNA as ladders. The "rungs" of the ladder are the base pairs, and the "sides" of the ladder are the sugar-phosphate backbones of each strand. The hydrogen bonds act like the glue holding the rungs together.
