Final answer:
Ion-dipole forces are the intermolecular forces that involve a dipole or ion-induced dipole, occurring when ionic compounds interact with polar compounds like water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The intermolecular forces affecting molecules and ions include dispersion forces, dipole-dipole attractions, hydrogen bonding, and ion-dipole forces. The force that involves a dipole or ion-induced dipole is the ion-dipole force. Dispersion forces, also called London forces, increase with molecular size and result from temporary fluctuations in electron distribution that induce a temporary dipole in adjacent atoms. Hydrogen bonding is a special type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when hydrogen is bonded to highly electronegative elements such as fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen.
Covalent bonding is not an intermolecular force but an intramolecular force that holds atoms together within a molecule. When considering which intermolecular force involves a dipole or an ion-induced dipole, the correct answer is ion-dipole forces. Ion-dipole forces are significant when an ionic compound is mixed with a polar compound, often seen in the dissolution process of salts in water.