Final answer:
The primary force responsible for the attraction between water molecules is hydrogen bonding, a type of dipole-dipole interaction facilitated by the strong polarity of the water molecule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of bond or force primarily responsible for the attraction between water molecules is hydrogen bonding. This is an interaction where a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom such as oxygen is attracted to an electronegative atom with a lone pair of electrons, usually from a nearby molecule. In water, the hydrogen atoms are bound to a highly electronegative oxygen atom, resulting in a very polar bond. The partially positive hydrogen atom of one water molecule is then attracted to the partially negative oxygen atom of a nearby water molecule. This dipole-dipole interaction is much stronger than typical van der Waals forces due to the high electronegativity of oxygen and the presence of lone pair electrons that facilitate the bond.