Final answer:
Protein synthesis is an anabolic process where amino acids are assembled into proteins, requiring energy and supporting growth and repair.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options provided, the process that is anabolic is c. Protein synthesis. Anabolic processes involve the construction of complex molecules from simpler ones, which is what occurs during the synthesis of proteins. In the process of protein synthesis, amino acids are linked together to form proteins, which requires energy and is essential for growth and repair in living organisms. This is in contrast to catabolic processes, which involve the breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones to release energy. For example, digestion of food is catabolic as it breaks down complex molecules into simpler forms that the body can use.
Other processes mentioned such as digestion of starch to maltose and glycogenolysis are catabolic because they involve the breakdown of larger molecules to smaller ones. Glycolysis, the process of breaking down glucose to pyruvic acid, also falls under catabolic processes.