Question

Can someone explain Carbonate for me? CO3

what I don't understand:

visualizing the loss of electrons, when I see other ionic compounds like PO4 I just count backwards along the periodic table to account for the charges of the oxygen atoms, yet when I attempt to do that with C, you end up in the grey area of the periodic table where no element exists (the d block next to the He atom).

Furthermore since Carbon loses all of its electrons, does it contain a -2 charge because it wants to fill its s Orbital? I feel like I kinda get it but would like a more solid explanation. thanks!

Answer 1

carbonate ion is a polyatomic ion . In polyatomic ion , two or more atoms are bonded covalently..electrons are gained or lost by some atoms of it and on the basis of that,overall charge of molecule is calculated.

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