An ionic bond is a type of chemical bond that occurs when one atom transfers electrons to another atom. This transfer creates charged particles called ions: one atom becomes a positively charged ion, or cation, while the other becomes a negatively charged ion, or anion. The opposite charges of these ions attract each other, forming a strong bond. Ionic bonds typically form between metals and nonmetals. For example, when sodium (a metal) reacts with chlorine (a nonmetal), sodium donates an electron to chlorine. This results in the formation of sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, which is held together by ionic bonds.