The reaction of an alkene and water in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce an alcohol is called acid-catalyzed hydration.

Here's a breakdown:

* Alkene: A hydrocarbon with a carbon-carbon double bond.

* Water: The source of the hydroxyl group (-OH) that will be added to the alkene.

* Acid catalyst: A substance like sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) or phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) that speeds up the reaction.

* Alcohol: The product formed by adding a hydroxyl group (-OH) to the alkene.

This reaction is a classic example of an electrophilic addition reaction, where the electrophilic hydrogen ion (H⁺) from the acid catalyst adds to the alkene, followed by the nucleophilic attack of the water molecule.