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.