A nucleoside contains a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and phosphate.

### Why this is right The statement is false because phosphate is not part of a nucleoside. A base joined to a sugar is a nucleoside; adding phosphate makes a nucleotide. ### The concept The distinction depends on whether phosphate is present. Both structures contain a base joined to a pentose sugar by an N-glycosidic bond. Nucleotides can then be joined into nucleic-acid strands. ### Terms - **N-glycosidic bond**: the bond joining a nitrogenous base to a sugar. ### Remember Nucleoside is base plus sugar; nucleotide adds phosphate.