Question

Dehydration synthesis leads to the formation of

a) Polymers from monomers by removing water molecules
b) Monomers from polymers by adding water molecules
c) Proteins from nucleic acids by adding water molecules
d) Fatty acids from glycerol by removing water molecules

Answer 1

Dehydration synthesis is the process where monomers combine to form polymers by removing water molecules, making it the correct answer to the student's question. Hydrolysis is the reverse process involving the breakdown of polymers into monomers by adding water.

Step-by-step explanation:

Dehydration Synthesis

Dehydration synthesis is a chemical process by which monomers are joined to form polymers. This reaction involves the removal of OH (hydroxyl group) from one monomer and H (hydrogen atom) from another at the site of bond formation, leading to the release of a water molecule (H2O). Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is a) Polymers from monomers by removing water molecules. This process is crucial in forming various biological macromolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.

In contrast, when polymers need to be broken down into monomers, the process used is hydrolysis, which is essentially the reverse of dehydration synthesis. Hydrolysis involves the addition of water molecules to split the bonds in a polymer, breaking it down into monomer components.