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Like other esters, waxes are ______________ in the presence of acid or base to re-form the carboxylic acid and alcohol they came from.

a) Hydrolyzed

b) Reduced

c) Oxidized

d) Polymerized

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Waxes, as a type of ester, are hydrolyzed in the presence of acid or base to revert back to the original carboxylic acid and alcohol. The correct answer is (a) Hydrolyzed.

Step-by-step explanation:

Like other esters, waxes are hydrolyzed in the presence of acid or base to re-form the carboxylic acid and alcohol they came from. The answer to the provided question is (a) Hydrolyzed.

Esters, including waxes, can undergo a reaction known as hydrolysis where they react with water (H2O), causing the ester to split into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. This process is often catalyzed by either an acid (acid catalyzed hydrolysis) or a base (base catalyzed hydrolysis or saponification). This is in contrast to other reactions such as reduction, oxidation, and polymerization, which involve different mechanisms and outcomes.

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