What type of bond forms between positively charged cations and negatively charged anions?

Ionic bonds form through the electrostatic attraction between positively charged cations and negatively charged anions. This type of bond is characterized by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, usually occurring between elements with significantly different electronegativities, such as metals and nonmetals.

In an ionic bond, a metal atom loses one or more electrons to become a positively charged cation, while a nonmetal atom gains these electrons to become a negatively charged anion. The resulting attraction between the opposite charges holds the ions together, creating a stable compound.

This mechanism of electron transfer and the strong attractive forces between the oppositely charged ions distinguish ionic bonds from other types of bonds. For instance, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, while hydrogen bonds are interactions between molecules that contain hydrogen, and metallic bonds involve a 'sea of electrons' shared among metal atoms. Each of these bonding types has distinct characteristics and behavior, which is what makes ionic bonding unique in its formation and properties.