Question

1. It was thought that the pupil was a round object much like an apple.

2. It was thought that the pupil was a round object which was much like an apple.
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What is the meaning of "much like"?
What other expressions can we use instead of 'much like'?
Is Sentence 2 the same as Sentence 1?

Answer 1

1 and 2 mean the same thing, but 2 has those extra words in it!

"much like" is just a way to add emphasis to the concept of similarity ("like"). There really isn't a substitute for "much." It could actually be left out.