alleryStart learning →What holds the ions of an ionic compound together?
AEqual sharing of one pair of electrons
BElectrostatic attraction between opposite ions
COverlap of two half filled valence orbitals
DAttraction between neutral gas molecules
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Electrostatic attraction between opposite ions
1. An ionic compound is built from cations and anions, which carry opposite charges.
2. Opposite charges attract, and it is that electrostatic force which constitutes the ionic bond.
3. Sharing a pair of electrons describes a covalent bond, not an ionic one.
4. Orbital overlap and attraction between neutral molecules belong to covalent and intermolecular bonding.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 "Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry", section 7.1 Ionic Bonding_
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