Polyatomic Ions

Do you know you eat a lot of “-ates”? Next time you look at a food label, read the ingredients and you will likely find a number of ingredients that end with “-ate,” such as sodium phosphate or calcium carbonate. Did you ever wonder what the chemical formulas of these ingredients look like? In this activity we will explore polyatomic ions, which are groups of atoms that carry a charge. These ions are found in our food ingredients, natural waterways, and many other chemical compounds you encounter every day.