Final answer:
DNA polymerase is an enzyme critical in DNA replication, aiding the elongation of new DNA strands by adding nucleotides and correcting mistakes with its proofreading ability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is the function of DNA polymerase during the process of DNA replication. The rate at which the replication fork moves is 1000 nucleotides per second, and DNA polymerase can add nucleotides only in the 5' to 3' direction.
As a result, one strand, known as the leading strand, is synthesized continuously, while the other strand, known as the lagging strand, is synthesized in short segments knows as Okazaki fragments. DNA polymerase III is known to be vital for the elongation of new DNA strands.
In addition to its synthesis ability, DNA polymerase has a proofreading ability that corrects most mistakes during replication by checking the newly added nucleotide before proceeding with adding more.