What is the outcome of hydrolysis?

• A. Builds bonds and stores energy.
• B. Releases water as a byproduct.
• C. Break bonds and release energy.
• D. Requires no energy input.

Answer: (C)

Hydrolysis uses water to break bonds in a molecule, splitting it into smaller pieces. The water donates a hydrogen to one fragment and a hydroxyl group to the other, effectively cleaving a bond. Because bonds are broken and the resulting fragments often settle into a lower-energy state, many hydrolysis reactions release energy. That’s why the outcome is described as breaking bonds and releasing energy. It doesn’t build bonds (that’s condensation), and it uses water rather than releasing it, and while some reactions may require energy input in other contexts, hydrolysis in biology frequently releases energy (as seen in ATP hydrolysis, for example).