Which description correctly defines hydrolysis?

• A. It adds water to form larger molecules
• B. It removes water to form bonds between monomers
• C. It requires oxygen to break bonds
• D. It uses water to break bonds in polymers

Answer: (D)

Hydrolysis is the process in which water is used to break bonds in polymers, producing smaller units such as monomers. The water molecule donates a hydrogen to one fragment and a hydroxyl group to the other, cleaving the covalent bond and splitting the polymer. This is exactly what the description conveys: water is used to break bonds in polymers.

Think of it in digestion or in breaking down polymers: large molecules like starch, proteins, or fats are split into smaller components by adding water. In contrast, adding water to form larger molecules describes polymerization by condensation, not hydrolysis; removing water to form bonds describes dehydration synthesis, and requiring oxygen is not a defining feature of hydrolysis.