Which of the following is a common example of a disaccharide?

Lactose is a common example of a disaccharide because it is composed of two simpler sugar units: glucose and galactose. Disaccharides are formed when two monosaccharides undergo a dehydration synthesis reaction, resulting in a glycosidic bond. Lactose, specifically found in milk, exemplifies how two monosaccharides can combine to create a more complex sugar.

Other options present different types of carbohydrates. Raffinose is a trisaccharide, composed of three sugar units; fructose is a monosaccharide, serving as a building block for other sugars; and amylose is a polysaccharide, which consists of long chains of glucose units. Understanding these distinctions helps in recognizing the various forms of carbohydrates and their classifications.