Hydrolysis reaction is defined as

• A. Water is used to break down a polymer
• B. Water is used to build up a polymer
• C. Polymerization with loss of water
• D. Water acts as a solvent only

Answer: (A)

Hydrolysis is a reaction in which water is used to break chemical bonds. In polymers, water adds across the bonds between monomer units, splitting the long chain into smaller units or monomers. This is the process that breaks down polymers rather than building them up. That’s why the description “water is used to break down a polymer” captures what hydrolysis does. Building up polymers typically involves condensation (a polymerization step where water is released), so that option describes polymerization rather than hydrolysis. Saying water acts as a solvent only misses the key role water plays as a reactant in hydrolysis.