Final answer:
Ions bond together through ionic bonding which occurs when atoms transfer electrons to achieve filled outer shells, resulting in ions with opposite charges that attract each other and form a lattice structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ionic bonding, such as that in sodium chloride, occurs when ions with opposite charges attract one another. For example, when a sodium (Na) atom donates its single valence electron to a chlorine (Cl) atom, it becomes a positively charged sodium ion (Na+), and the chlorine becomes a negatively charged chloride ion (Cl-). These two ions are then held together by the electrostatic interaction of their opposite charges, forming a bond known as an ionic bond. This process of electron transfer leads to a balance in the energy levels of the ions, as the loss of an electron from the sodium atom results in it having a filled outer shell, while the gain of an electron for the chlorine atom also results in a filled outer shell.
The ionic bond between Na+ and Cl- ions is not a single, discrete interaction; rather, the isotropic nature of these attractive forces means that any given ion is equally attracted to all nearby oppositely charged ions. Consequently, ionic compounds like sodium chloride form a tightly bound, three-dimensional lattice structure, where each ion is part of this highly organized and neutral network.