Which statement accurately describes an ionic bond?

An ionic bond is characterized by one atom transferring electrons to another atom, resulting in the formation of charged ions. This process occurs when one atom has a tendency to lose electrons (thus becoming a positively charged ion, or cation) and another atom has a tendency to gain those electrons (becoming a negatively charged ion, or anion). The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions creates the ionic bond.

In contrast, the other statements do not accurately represent ionic bonding. For example, sharing of electrons pertains to covalent bonds rather than ionic ones. The notion of electrons forming pairs generally relates to the stability of paired electrons in covalent bonds, not the charge-induced interaction in ionic bonds. Moreover, while it's true that many ionic bonds occur between metal and non-metal elements, it is possible for ionic bonds to form between non-metal elements under certain conditions, which makes that statement inaccurate. Therefore, the essence of the ionic bond lies in the electron transfer between two atoms, leading to the formation of opposing charges that attract each other.