What type of bond links monosaccharides together in carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides are the basic building blocks of carbohydrates, and they are linked together through covalent bonds known as glycosidic bonds. When two monosaccharides undergo a condensation reaction, a water molecule is released, and a covalent bond forms between the hydroxyl (–OH) group of one monosaccharide and the anomeric carbon of another. This specific type of bond is crucial in forming disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides, which make up larger carbohydrate structures such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Covalent bonds are characterized by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, leading to a stable linkage, which is essential for maintaining the structure and function of carbohydrates in biological systems. In contrast, ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons, hydrogen bonds are a type of weak interaction important for stabilizing molecules like proteins and nucleic acids, and peptide bonds specifically link amino acids in proteins and do not pertain to carbohydrates. Thus, the covalent bond is the correct answer for connecting monosaccharides in carbohydrates.