Final answer:
Negatively charged electrons orbit molecules/ions in an ionic bond, which is characterized by the transfer of electrons and resulting electrostatic attractions between ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Negatively charged electrons orbit molecules/ions in an ionic bond. In an ionic bond, an electron is not shared as in a covalent bond but is transferred from one atom to another, creating an electrostatic attraction between the positively charged ion (cation) and the negatively charged ion (anion).
This transfer results in ions with full charges, and the resulting compound, often referred to as a salt, is held together by the strong electrostatic forces between these oppositely charged ions. Ionic bonding provides the electrostatic force that positions the electrons in the vicinity of the ion, but it is important to note that, unlike in covalent bonding, these electrons do not have defined molecular orbitals between specific atoms.