How Many Molecules of Water are Needed to Completely Hydrolyze

Question

How many molecules of water are needed to completely hydrolyze a polymer that is 11 monomers long?
A) 12
B) 11
C) 10
D) 9
E) 8

Accepted Answer

Hydrolysis of a polymer with 11 monomers requires 10 molecules of water to break each peptide bond between the monomers. One water molecule is needed for each bond, and there are 10 bonds between 11 monomers. Therefore, choice C is the correct answer.