What is a polyatomic ion?

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What is a polyatomic ion?

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Answer 1 · 2014-05-14T23:36:36

The prefix poly- means many and the prefix mono- means one.

Therefore, polyatomic ions are composed of many atoms.

Examples include: $N O_{3}^{- 1}$ $NO_3^(-1)$ and $P O_{4}^{- 3}$ $PO_4^(-3)$ .

The nitrate ion $N O_{3}^{- 1}$ $NO_3^(-1)$ is composed of one nitrogen atoms and three oxygen atoms arranged with an imbalance of one extra electron.

The phosphate ion $P O_{4}^{- 3}$ $PO_4^(-3)$ is composed of one phosphate ion and four oxygen atoms arranges with an imbalance of three extra electrons.

Most polyatomic ions are negative with the main exceptions being $N H_{4}^{+ 1}$ $NH_4^(+1)$ and $H_{3} O^{+ 1}$ $H_3O^(+1)$ . The ammonium ion which is composed of one nitrogen and 4 hydrogen with an imbalance of one less electron. The hydronium ion is created when water takes on a dissociated $H^{+}$ $H^+$ ion in an acid solution.

Monatomic ions are single atoms with a positive or negative charge like Calcium $C a^{+ 2}$ $Ca^(+2)$ having two less electrons and Chloride $C l^{- 1}$ $Cl^(-1)$ having one more electron.

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What is a polyatomic ion?

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