Question

What is hydrolysis ? What are its examples?

Answer 1

Hydrolysis is the process by which chemical compounds are broken apart by the addition of water.

Here are some examples of hydrolysis:

• Sodium acetate is a type of salt. When water is added to sodium acetate, the chemical bonds break down, causing it to separate into sodium ions and acetate ions. Then acetate ions in the water then combine with hydrogen atoms to create an acid called acetic acid.
• Alkyl halides are chemical compounds often used in refrigerants as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). When water is added to alkyl halides, the chemical is then converted to a type of alcohol, which is generally safer for the environment.
• Adding water to ester, a compound used in everything from explosives to polyester flooring and perfumes, results in the ester turning into carboxylic acid and alcohol due to the process of hydrolysis.
• Sucrose is a disaccharide also known as table sugar. Hydrolysis of this compound results in the creation of two separate monosaccharide sugars known as glucose and fructose. These sugars are used in a variety of applications, widely in the food industry.