What is the Difference Between Hydrolysis and Dehydration Synthesis?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis are two types of chemical reactions that are essential for the formation and breakdown of biological macromolecules. The main differences between them are:
- Direction: Dehydration synthesis reactions build molecules up and generally require energy, while hydrolysis reactions break molecules down and generally release energy.
- Bond Formation: In dehydration synthesis, a water molecule is formed as a result of generating a covalent bond between two monomeric units. In contrast, during hydrolysis, a water molecule is consumed as a result of breaking the covalent bond holding together two monomers.
- Purpose: Dehydration synthesis is responsible for building large biological molecules, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids. Hydrolysis, on the other hand, is used to break down these molecules into smaller units, making them easier to absorb and use by cells.
- Enzymes: Both dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis reactions are catalyzed or "sped up" by specific enzymes. Dehydration reactions involve the formation of new bonds, requiring energy, while hydrolysis reactions break bonds and release energy.
Examples of these reactions include:
- Dehydration synthesis: The formation of disaccharides from monosaccharides or the formation of polymers from monomers.
- Hydrolysis: The breakdown of disaccharides into monosaccharides or the hydrolysis of polymers into monomers.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Hydrolysis and Dehydration Synthesis? Comparative Table: Hydrolysis vs Dehydration Synthesis
Comparative Table: Hydrolysis vs Dehydration Synthesis
Here is a table comparing hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis:
| Process | Definition | Direction | Reactants | Products | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrolysis | A chemical reaction that splits a molecule into smaller units by the addition of water molecules. | Breaks down complex molecules into smaller units | Water molecules, complex molecules | Smaller units, water molecules | Hydrolysis of a disaccharide forms monosaccharide units. |
| Dehydration Synthesis | A chemical reaction in which a water molecule is eliminated with the formation of new compounds. | Forms complex molecules from smaller units | Smaller units, water molecules | Complex molecules, water molecules | Formation of nucleic acid from nucleotides. |
Hydrolysis breaks down complex molecules into smaller units by adding water molecules, while dehydration synthesis, which can be considered the reverse reaction, forms complex molecules from smaller units by eliminating water molecules.
Read more:
- Hydrolysis vs Dehydration
- Hydration vs Hydrolysis
- Hydrolysis vs Condensation
- Hydration vs Hydrogenation
- Solvation vs Hydration
- Acid Hydrolysis vs Enzymatic Hydrolysis
- Drying vs Dehydration
- Hydrogenation vs Hydrogenolysis
- Protein Denaturation vs Hydrolysis
- Synthesis Reaction vs Dissociation Reaction
- Synthesis vs Decomposition
- Synthesis Reaction vs Substitution Reaction
- Synthesis vs Retrosynthesis
- Hydrolase vs Transferase
- Synthesis vs Biosynthesis
- Hydrate vs Anhydrate
- Isomerization vs Hydroisomerization
- Sol-Gel vs Hydrothermal Method
- Analysis vs Synthesis