Final answer:
The strongest attractive force in a compound is the ionic bond, which results from the electrostatic attraction between charged ions and is stronger than covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, and Van der Waals forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
The strongest attractive force present in a compound is the ionic bond. An ionic bond is formed by the electrostatic attraction between positively and negatively charged ions. In contrast, a covalent bond involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, and while it is a strong bond, it typically operates within a molecule rather than between molecules.
Intermolecular forces, such as hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces (which include dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interactions), are considerably weaker than ionic and covalent bonds. Hydrogen bonds are strong intermolecular forces but are still weaker than ionic and covalent bonds, and they are often responsible for the unique properties of water and the structures of DNA and proteins. Van der Waals forces are the weakest of the forces mentioned and are significant in the interactions between molecules in a covalent molecular compound.