The leading and the lagging strands differ in that _- the lagging strand is synthesized continuously, whereas the leading strand is synthesized in short fragments that are ultimately stitched together the leading strand is synthesized at twice the rate of the lagging strand the leading strand is synthesized in the same direction as the movement of the replication fork, and the lagging strand is synthesized in the opposite direction the leading strand is synthesized by adding nucleotides to the \( 3^{\prime} \) end of the growing strand, and the lagging strand is synthesized by adding nucleotides to the 5 end

The leading strand is synthesized continuously as DNA polymerase adds nucleotides in the same direction as the replication fork's movement. This efficient process allows for rapid DNA replication, making it essential for maintaining cellular functions during division. In contrast, the lagging strand is synthesized in short fragments, known as Okazaki fragments, which are produced in the opposite direction and later joined together by DNA ligase. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for various applications, especially in biotechnology. For example, scientists exploit this knowledge when designing techniques for DNA amplification, such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), which utilizes specific enzymes that can work rapidly and efficiently to replicate DNA fragments for research and diagnostic purposes.