Which process breaks down a substance by heating it with water in acidic or alkaline conditions to increase the rate of reaction?

Which process breaks down a substance by heating it with water in acidic or alkaline conditions to increase the rate of reaction?

• A. Hydration
• B. Hydrolysis
• C. Hydrogenation
• D. Hydrofluorination

Answer: (B)

Hydrolysis is the process where a compound is broken down by reacting with water. When conditions are acidic or alkaline, the water helps by providing H+ or OH− to facilitate bond cleavage, and heating increases the kinetic energy so the reaction happens faster. This combination of water-assisted bond breaking and catalytic conditions is exactly what hydrolysis describes, such as esters turning into alcohol and carboxylic acid under acid or base catalysis. Hydration would mean water adding to a molecule without breaking it apart. Hydrogenation is the addition of hydrogen to a molecule, not its breakdown. Hydrofluorination involves adding fluorine-containing species, not just water-driven breakdown.

Hydrolysis is the process where a compound is broken down by reacting with water. When conditions are acidic or alkaline, the water helps by providing H+ or OH− to facilitate bond cleavage, and heating increases the kinetic energy so the reaction happens faster. This combination of water-assisted bond breaking and catalytic conditions is exactly what hydrolysis describes, such as esters turning into alcohol and carboxylic acid under acid or base catalysis.

Hydration would mean water adding to a molecule without breaking it apart. Hydrogenation is the addition of hydrogen to a molecule, not its breakdown. Hydrofluorination involves adding fluorine-containing species, not just water-driven breakdown.