Question

How does the chemical formula for the nitrite ion differ from the chemical formula for the nitrate ion?

Answer 1

The nitrite ion has one less oxygen than the nitrate ion. Nitrate is NO3-1 while the nitrite ion is NO2-.

Answer 2

nitrite ion is NO2- and nitrate ion is NO3-

Step-by-step explanation:

The nitrite ion has two oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom while nitrate ion has three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom. They are both univalent negative anions that form compounds with metallic cations as shown below;

Na+ + NO3- ⇒ NaNO3 (sodium nitrate)

Na+ + NO2- ⇒ NaNO2 (sodium nitrite)

Ca2+ + NO3- ⇒ Ca(NO3)2 (calcium nitrate)

Ca2+ + NO2- ⇒ Ca(NO2)2 (calcium nitrite)

You can deduce from the above ionic equations that nitrate ion is NO3- while nitrite ion is NO2-.