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.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is:
Two molecules are split apart.
Explanation:
A hydrolysis reaction is a chemical reaction in which water is used to break the bonds between two molecules. The term “hydrolysis” comes from “hydro” (meaning water) and “lysis” (meaning to break apart). This type of reaction is common in biological systems, especially in processes like digestion or the breakdown of polymers.
In a hydrolysis reaction, water is not split apart but rather is added to the reaction to break the bond between two molecules. Here’s how it works:
- Two molecules are split apart: In hydrolysis, the addition of water leads to the breaking of a chemical bond between two molecules. For example, in the hydrolysis of a disaccharide (like sucrose), water is added to break the glycosidic bond between the two sugar molecules, resulting in two separate monosaccharides (glucose and fructose).
- Water is formed: This is not true for hydrolysis. Water is not a product in hydrolysis; rather, it is a reactant. In condensation reactions (also called dehydration synthesis), water is formed when two molecules are joined together.
- Water is split apart: This statement is incorrect in the context of hydrolysis. In hydrolysis, water does not break apart; instead, it is added to the molecules to break their bond.
- Two molecules are combined: This happens in condensation reactions, not hydrolysis. In condensation reactions, two molecules combine, and a water molecule is released. This is the opposite of hydrolysis.
Example of Hydrolysis:
A classic example of hydrolysis is the breakdown of a polymer like starch into its monomer units (glucose). The bond between glucose molecules in starch is broken by water molecules in the hydrolysis process. Similarly, in digestion, the breakdown of proteins into amino acids involves hydrolysis reactions where peptide bonds are broken with the help of water molecules.
Thus, in a hydrolysis reaction, the key outcome is the splitting apart of molecules using water as a reactant.