Which of the following is a common example of an ionic bond?

An ionic bond is formed when there is a transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions that attract each other. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a classic example of this type of bond.

In the case of NaCl, sodium (Na) has one electron in its outer shell, which it can lose easily to achieve a stable electron configuration similar to that of noble gases. When sodium loses this electron, it becomes a positively charged sodium ion (Na⁺). On the other hand, chlorine (Cl) has seven electrons in its outer shell and needs one additional electron to achieve stability. When chlorine gains an electron from sodium, it becomes a negatively charged chloride ion (Cl⁻). The electrostatic attraction between Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions results in the formation of the ionic compound NaCl.

This process and interaction clearly demonstrate the characteristics of ionic bonding, setting NaCl apart from the other substances listed, which involve covalent bonding or are diatomic molecules with no charge transfer.