Hydrolysis is an enzyme-catalyzed reaction by which a larger molecule is broken down into two smaller molecules by the addition of water as a reactant. During hydrolysis, both the carbon (C) polymer chain and molecule of water split, leading to the eventual formation of two products.
Carbon's unique chemical bonding with other atoms contributes to its ability to form biomolecules, such as macromolecules, which serve as building blocks for many larger kinds of molecules or polymers.