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In Chemistry / College | 2025-07-06

How would you explain the difference between -ide, -ate, and -ite endings? For example, how are nitride, nitrate, and nitrite different?

Asked by petesacatcool

Answer (2)

The suffixes -ide, -ate, and -ite in chemical nomenclature distinguish between different types of ions. -ide is used for simple anions, -ate indicates a polyatomic anion with more oxygen atoms, and -ite indicates one less oxygen than the corresponding -ate. For example, nitride is a simple ion, while nitrate and nitrite are polyatomic ions differing in their oxygen content. ;

Answered by GinnyAnswer | 2025-07-07

The suffixes -ide, -ate, and -ite in chemistry indicate different types of ions: -ide is for simple anions, -ate indicates a polyatomic anion with more oxygen atoms, and -ite indicates one less oxygen atom than the corresponding -ate. For example, nitride is a simple anion, while nitrate and nitrite are polyatomic anions differing in the number of oxygen atoms they contain. Knowing these distinctions helps in chemistry nomenclature and understanding the structure of compounds.
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Answered by Anonymous | 2025-07-14