What type of bond is formed when two ions attract each other?

An ionic bond is formed when two ions of opposite charges attract each other. This occurs when one atom donates an electron, becoming a positively charged ion (cation), while another atom accepts that electron, becoming a negatively charged ion (anion). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions creates a strong bond, resulting in the formation of an ionic compound.

In contrast, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms rather than the transfer of electrons, which does not involve the attraction of charged ions. Metallic bonds involve a sea of shared electrons among a lattice of metal cations, while hydrogen bonds are weak interactions that occur between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom. These types of bonds do not pertain specifically to the attraction between two ions.