An ionic bond is

An ionic bond is a type of chemical bond that involves a metal and a non-metal ion (or polyatomic ions such as ammonium) through electrostatic attraction. The process of forming an ionic bond involves a metal losing electrons to become a positively charged cation, while the non-metal accepts those electrons to become a negatively charged anion.

Here are the steps:

1. A metal atom loses one or more electrons from its outer shell during a process called ionization. This results in a positively charged cation.

2. A non-metal atom gains those lost electrons in its outer shell. This process is called electron acceptance. This results in a negatively charged anion.

3. The cation and anion are attracted to each other due to opposite charges. This electrostatic attraction forms the ionic bond.

4. The resulting compound is called an ionic compound. It has a high melting point and is generally soluble in water.

Examples of ionic bonds include Sodium Chloride (NaCl), where Sodium (Na) loses an electron to become Na+ and Chlorine (Cl) gains that electron to become Cl-. The Na+ and Cl- ions are attracted to each other to form the ionic bond in Sodium Chloride.