Final answer:
There are 13 essential vitamins required by humans, divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble categories. Vitamin C is the water-soluble vitamin among the options given. Vitamins are essential nutrients and have specific functions within the body that cannot be overlooked.
Step-by-step explanation:
Vitamins and Their Categories
To date, there are 13 recognized vitamins that humans require for normal bodily function. These vitamins are divided into two categories: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins, which include vitamins A, D, E, and K, are stored in the body's fatty tissues and liver and are important for a variety of physiological functions. In contrast, water-soluble vitamins, which encompass the B complex vitamins and vitamin C, generally act as coenzymes and are not stored in the body to a significant degree, but rather excreted in urine.
Specifically answering the question on water-soluble vitamins, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, while vitamins A, E, and K are fat-soluble. Therefore, amongst the options provided, vitamin C is the correct answer as it is the water-soluble vitamin.
Additionally, vitamins are essential nutrients, which means they cannot be synthesized in adequate quantities by the body and therefore must be obtained through diet. All vitamins are covalently bonded molecules with both common names, such as vitamin A for retinol, and formal chemical names. When the diet is deficient in these essential nutrients, diseases like scurvy or rickets can occur, but they can be prevented or treated with vitamin supplements.
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