Types of Reactions

Question 1

Reactions Joining or Splitting Monomers

Answer 1

Linking two monomers usually occurs through dehydration (condensation) synthesis, where a water molecule is removed and a covalent bond forms. Breaking the polymer apart is the reverse process, hydrolysis, in which water is added to cleave the bond. Living cells rely on enzymes to accelerate both directions when building or digesting macromolecules.