A hydrolysis reaction results in which two of the following?
Water is split apart.
Two molecules are split apart.
Water is formed.
Two molecules are combined.
T he Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Correct Answer:
- Water is split apart.
- Two molecules are split apart.
Explanation:
A hydrolysis reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which a molecule is broken down into two or more smaller units by the addition of water. The term “hydrolysis” literally means “water splitting” — from the Greek hydro (water) and lysis (to loosen or split). This reaction is essential in both chemistry and biology, especially in the digestion of food and the breakdown of macromolecules like proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates.
1. Water is split apart
In hydrolysis, a water molecule is used to break a chemical bond. During the process, the water molecule itself is split into a hydrogen ion (H⁺) and a hydroxide ion (OH⁻). These two parts are then added to the fragments of the original molecule. For example, in the hydrolysis of a disaccharide like sucrose, water breaks the glycosidic bond between glucose and fructose, with one sugar getting an H⁺ and the other an OH⁻.
2. Two molecules are split apart
Hydrolysis reactions typically split a larger molecule into two smaller molecules. For instance, during the digestion of proteins, peptide bonds between amino acids are broken through hydrolysis, resulting in individual amino acids. Each bond broken requires a water molecule, and the result is the separation of the two parts of the original molecule.
Incorrect Choices:
- Water is formed: This is characteristic of condensation or dehydration synthesis reactions, which are the reverse of hydrolysis. In those reactions, two molecules combine and water is released.
- Two molecules are combined: Again, this describes condensation, not hydrolysis.
Thus, hydrolysis reactions always involve the splitting of both water and a larger molecule into smaller parts, making the first and second choices the correct ones.
