Final answer:
The attraction between Na+ cations and Cl- anions forms ionic bonds in the compound NaCl. Ionic bonds are formed due to the electrical attraction between ions of opposite charges, which is the case with sodium and chloride ions in table salt.
Step-by-step explanation:
The attraction between Na+ cations and Cl- anions form ionic bonds that hold the ions together in the compound NaCl. Among the given choices, A. Ionic bonds is the correct answer. This is because ionic bonds are the electrical attractions that form between oppositely charged ions, such as the positively charged sodium ions (Na+) and the negatively charged chloride ions (Cl-) in sodium chloride. When sodium donates an electron to chlorine, it becomes a cation, while chlorine becomes an anion by accepting that electron. Due to their opposite charges, these two ions are strongly attracted to each other, resulting in the formation of a stable ionic compound or crystal.
On the other hand, covalent bonds are formed when two nonmetal atoms share a pair of electrons. Hydrogen bonds are a special type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs between an electronegative atom and a hydrogen atom bonded to another electronegative atom. Metallic bonds are the force of attraction between free-floating valence electrons and the positively charged metal ions in metals. Therefore, the relationship between Na+ and Cl- is distinctly characterized by ionic bonding.