The force that draws positively charged cations and negatively charged anions together is electrostatic attraction (the Coulomb force between opposite electric charges).

Quick Scoop

  • Cations have a positive charge because they have lost one or more electrons.
  • Anions have a negative charge because they have gained one or more electrons.
  • Opposite charges attract due to electrostatic forces described by Coulomb’s law, which pulls cations and anions toward each other and holds them in an ionic bond.

In simple terms: opposite electric charges feel a pulling force toward each other, and that pull is electrostatic attraction, which is what holds ionic compounds like table salt (NaCl) together.

TL;DR: The force is electrostatic attraction between opposite charges.