Question: how are the ions held together in solid sodium chloride?
Answer: The ions are held together by strong electrostatic forces. ... The positive Na⁺ ions attract the negative Cl⁻ions. But they repel other Na⁺ ions, because ions with like charges repel each other. As a result, each Na⁺ will try to surround itself with as many Cl⁻ ions as possible.