Which type of bonding occurs between the atoms in an ionic compound?

In an ionic compound, the type of bonding that occurs between the atoms is ionic bonding. This process involves the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of charged particles known as ions: cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged). The cations and anions are held together by strong electrostatic forces of attraction, which arise due to their opposite charges.

This ionic bonding is characteristic of compounds formed between metals and non-metals, where metals lose electrons easily and non-metals tend to gain electrons. The resulting lattice structure of the resulting ionic compound is what gives these compounds unique properties, including high melting and boiling points, as well as electrical conductivity when dissolved in water or molten.

In contrast, covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons between atoms, metallic bonding involves a sea of delocalized electrons around metal cations, and hydrogen bonding is a weaker interaction that occurs between molecules where hydrogen is bonded to highly electronegative atoms. Thus, ionic bonding is distinctly different and specifically applies to the interactions in ionic compounds.