Which chemical process splits a molecule by adding water?

Which chemical process splits a molecule by adding water?

• A. Condensation
• B. Osmosis
• C. Hydrolysis
• D. Hydration

Answer: (C)

Hydrolysis is the chemical process that splits a molecule by adding water. In hydrolysis, a water molecule donates a hydrogen to one fragment and a hydroxyl group to the other, breaking a covalent bond in the substrate. This is how many biological molecules are digested or recycled, such as sucrose being split into glucose and fructose or proteins being broken down into amino acids. Condensation (dehydration synthesis) does the opposite by forming bonds between molecules and releasing water. Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane driven by concentration differences, not bond-breaking. Hydration involves water associating with a molecule without breaking its bonds. So adding water to break bonds specifically describes hydrolysis.

Hydrolysis is the chemical process that splits a molecule by adding water. In hydrolysis, a water molecule donates a hydrogen to one fragment and a hydroxyl group to the other, breaking a covalent bond in the substrate. This is how many biological molecules are digested or recycled, such as sucrose being split into glucose and fructose or proteins being broken down into amino acids.

Condensation (dehydration synthesis) does the opposite by forming bonds between molecules and releasing water. Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane driven by concentration differences, not bond-breaking. Hydration involves water associating with a molecule without breaking its bonds. So adding water to break bonds specifically describes hydrolysis.