Glycosidic bonds are best described as

• A. Ionic bonds between minerals
• B. Hydrogen bonds between sugars
• C. Covalent bonds linking monosaccharides
• D. Van der Waals interactions

Answer: (C)

Glycosidic bonds are covalent linkages that connect sugar units to form disaccharides and polysaccharides. They are created when a hydroxyl group on one monosaccharide reacts with the anomeric carbon of another, releasing water in a dehydration (condensation) reaction and yielding a covalent bond called a glycosidic bond. This type of linkage is what constructs the carbohydrate backbone in substances like starch, glycogen, and cellulose, with the specific linkage (such as alpha or beta forms and 1→4 or 1→6 connections) shaping properties like digestibility and structure. The other options describe interactions that are not responsible for linking sugars into polymers: ionic bonds occur between charged particles, hydrogen bonds are weaker non-covalent interactions and do not form the backbone, and van der Waals forces are weak, transient contacts that do not create the covalent sugar chain.