Hydrolysis vs Hydration

[drcrowthorne]

What is the difference between a hydrolysis and hydration reaction? Or are they the same thing?

Cheers,

Dr.Crowthorne

[Jeggz]

As far as I'm concerned they both involve water as a reactant. Whilst hydration is adding water onto a particular molecule, hydrolysis on the other hand is the process of breaking up a molecule by reacting it with water. I hope that makes sense 

[Will Sparks]

Water is a reactant in both.

Hydration is when a substance has water added to it (the substance doesn't breakdown e.g. CuSO4.H2O - note the dot)

Hydrolysis is when a substance reacts with water (the substance breaks down e.g. NH4Cl + H2O ---> NH4+(aq) + Cl-)

[Alwin]

As far as I'm concerned they both involve water ...

As for as I'm concerned, you're the reason the other topic was locked Re: Which subjects had mid year exams last year? all your fault

What is the difference between a hydrolysis and hydration reaction? Or are they the same thing?

Yeah, what Jeggz said was correct. I just wanted to add some examples, eg CuSO₄.5H₂O is hydrated copper sulfate. This is simply water forming intermolecular bonds with the copper sulfate. As for hydrolysis, it is where water 'breaks' the bond, such as that when reacting with with an ester group forming an alcohol and carboxylic acid.
Just another similar term you might be confused with is electrolysis. This is where electricity is passed through water resulting in H₂ and O₂.

[Will Sparks]

As for as I'm concerned, you're the reason the other topic was locked Re: Which subjects had mid year exams last year? all your fault

That was my thread!!

[Alwin]

That was my thread!!

i know, but shhhh. We have to act all innocent in front of the mods and admins, after all this is a chem thread