BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

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What is the charge of the carbonate ion represented as CO3?

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The carbonate ion, represented as CO3, has a formal charge of 2-. This is derived from the structure and bonding in the ion. In a carbonate ion, carbon is centrally bonded to three oxygen atoms. Two of these oxygen atoms are typically connected through double bonds, while the third oxygen has a single bond with an additional negative charge. This results in the overall charge of the ion being 2-.

To understand the charge distribution, consider that each oxygen atom typically holds a charge of 2- when it forms a double bond with carbon and has a full octet. The single-bonded oxygen carries an additional negative charge due to its lack of a double bond. Summing these contributions results in a total of -2 for the ion.

This structural understanding reinforces why the carbonate ion is recognized with a charge of 2-, leading to its representation as CO3^2-.

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