what is the shape of dna?

DNA’s overall shape is a double helix , which looks like a twisted ladder or spiral staircase.

Basic shape

• DNA normally exists as two long strands that wind around a common axis, forming a right‑handed double helix.

• Visually, it resembles a twisted ladder: the side rails are the sugar‑phosphate backbone, and the rungs are paired bases (A–T and C–G).

Extra details (quick)

• The most common form in cells is called B‑DNA, with about 10–10.5 base pairs per turn of the helix.

• DNA can coil and fold further into more compact shapes to fit inside chromosomes, but the fundamental structural motif is still the double helix.

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