The hydrolysis of sucrose to glucose and fructose is exergonic.However, if sucrose is dissolved in water and the solution is kept overnight at room temperature, there is no detectable conversion to glucose and fructose.Why?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Although the hydrolysis of sucrose to glucose and fructose is exergonic, meaning it releases free energy, it still requires an activation energy to overcome the energy barrier and proceed with the reaction. The activation energy for the hydrolysis of sucrose is relatively high, which is why the reaction does not occur spontaneously when sucrose is simply dissolved in water and left at room temperature overnight.

The Hydrolysis of Sucrose to Glucose and Fructose Is Exergonic