Final answer:
A water molecule is released each time a monomer is added to a carbon chain during dehydration synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Each time a monomer is added to a carbon chain, a water molecule is released through dehydration synthesis. This happens because in a dehydration synthesis reaction, two monomers are covalently bonded by giving up parts that form water as a byproduct. One monomer donates a hydrogen atom (H), and the other gives up a hydroxyl group (OH), which together form a water molecule (H2O). This process is crucial in the formation of various macromolecules in living organisms, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.