Which type of bond involves the attraction between positively and negatively charged ions?

The correct answer is the ionic bond, which is characterized by the attraction between positively and negatively charged ions. These ions form when atoms gain or lose electrons, resulting in a charge. For example, when a sodium atom donates an electron to a chlorine atom, sodium becomes a positively charged ion (Na⁺), while chlorine becomes a negatively charged ion (Cl⁻). The electrostatic force of attraction between these oppositely charged ions creates an ionic bond.

This type of bond typically occurs between metals and non-metals and forms ionic compounds, which often have high melting and boiling points due to the strong forces holding the ions together in a lattice structure. Such bonds are essential in various chemical reactions and the formation of salts, differentiating them from other types of chemical bonds, such as covalent bonds, which involve the sharing of electron pairs, hydrogen bonds, which are a weaker type of interaction, and polar bonds, which involve an unequal sharing of electrons but do not necessarily create charged ions.