Question

The selenate ion, SeO32-, is classified as which of the following?

a. polyatomic cation

b. monoatomic cation

c. polyatomic anion

d. monoatomic anion

e. none of the above

Answer 1

Solution:- Cations have positive charge and anions have negative charge. Given ion has -2 charge (negative charge) so the first two choices are not correct.

Monoatomic ion means the ion that has only single atom like Na⁺, Ca⁺², O^-2 etc. Given ion has two types of atoms, Se and O so it is not monoatomic anion. If the ion has more than one type of atoms then we call it Polyatomic ion. So, the correct choice is (c) Polyatomic anion.