Final answer:
Nucleotide hydrolysis promotes polymerization and formation of phosphodiester bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nucleotide hydrolysis promotes two important phenomena: polymerization and formation of phosphodiester bonds. During polymerization, a high-energy bond in the incoming nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) is broken, which drives the formation of a phosphodiester bond. The energy for the formation of the phosphodiester bond comes from the hydrolysis of two phosphates (pyrophosphate) from the NTP. Without nucleotide hydrolysis, polymerization would not be energetically favorable.