What Are The Differences Between DNA And RNA?

DNA contains deoxyribose sugar (i.e there is not hydroxyl group on carbon 2)
RNA contains ribose sugar

DNA has the base pairs thymine, cytosine guanine and adenine
RNA has the base pairs uracil, cytosine, guanine and adenine

DNA is double stranded
RNA is almost always single stranded

DNA is exclusively found in the nucleus except for small amounts in the mitochondria and the chloroplast
RNA is made in the nucleus and travels to the cytosol

DNA last for a lifetime
RNA last for a short time

DNA contains deoxyribonucleotide monophosphates
RNA contains ribonucleotide monophosphates

A major similarity of DNA and RNA is that both DNA and RNA molecules are composed of repeating units of nucleotides. The nucleotide is the monomer that makes up the DNA and RNA polymers. Each of the nucleotides that make up the DNA and RNA consists of the same basic three components, namely, a sugar, a phosphate and a base comprising mainly nucleic acid.

The main difference between DNA and RNA is the sugar present in the molecules. While the sugar present in a DNA molecule is ribose, the sugar present in a molecule of RNA is deoxyribose. Deoxyribose is the same as ribose, except that the former has one more OH. An OH is known as hydroxyl, and it is a combination of oxygen and hydrogen in a single atom. There is a greater variety of nucleic acid bases in RNA molecules than there is in DNA molecules. DNA molecules basically have four nucleic acid bases, and possibly a few more, but their presence is occasional and rare.

The difference in the nucleic bases present in DNA and RNA allows the molecules of the latter to assume a wider variety of shapes and perform more functions than the former. DNA is sometimes merely perceived to be a set of instructions which enables the RNA to perform its role more effectively, but these directions are absolutely important.   

DNA is Deoxyribonucleic acid and RNA is Ribonucleic acid. DNA has double- stranded molecule with a long chain of nucleotides while RNA has  single stranded molecule with shorter chain of nucleotides. DNA has 4 bases: Adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine while RNA has adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil. DNA has  a deoxyribose and phosphate while RNA has ribose and phosphate. DNA is of single type but RNA is of three types.

Difference                       DNA                                                                      RNA
sugar                                deoxyribnuclecacid                                          ribose
shape                              duple hilex                                                        single strand
N_base                            T-C-G-A                                                            T-C-G-U
postion                             nucleus                                                            cytoplasm