Which of the following describes an ionic bond?

An ionic bond is characterized by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, which leads to the formation of charged ions. This process occurs typically between metals and non-metals. In this scenario, a metal atom, which has few electrons in its outer shell, tends to lose one or more of those electrons, thus becoming a positively charged ion. Conversely, a non-metal atom, which has a higher electronegativity and a tendency to gain electrons to fill its outer shell, will accept the electrons lost by the metal.

This transfer creates two oppositely charged ions that are attracted to each other due to electrostatic forces, resulting in the ionic bond. This mechanism is fundamental to the formation of various compounds, especially in marine environments where corrosion processes can be significantly influenced by ionic bonds. Such understanding is critical for addressing issues of corrosion in marine applications where different materials (like metals) interact with electrolytic environments.

The other responses do not accurately describe an ionic bond, as sharing of electrons refers to covalent bonding, sharing of protons is not a relevant concept in the context of bonding, and attraction of similar charges would not lead to bond formation, as like charges repel each other rather than attract.