Puddings contain large starch molecules that cause the mixture to thicken by a mechanism similar to that by which gelatin thickens. Which of the following suggestions is the best description of how puddings thicken? Explain your choice.

(a) The starch molecules in pudding are insoluble in water and precipitate when mixed with water.

(b) The strands of the starch molecules connect to each other by forming covalent bonds with each other.

(c) The starch molecules form hydrogen bonds with water and encapsulate the water in a network.

(d) The water molecules hydrate the starch molecules in pudding and the heat of hydration causes the starch molecules to decompose.