PO4 charge -3
The charge of phosphate (PO4) is -3
The charge of phosphate (PO4) is -3.
Phosphate is an anion, meaning it has a negative charge. The charge of PO4 comes from the combination of the individual charges on the atoms within the molecule. In phosphate, there are four oxygen atoms (O) and one phosphorus atom (P).
Oxygen typically has a charge of -2 when it forms ions. Since there are four oxygen atoms, the total charge from the oxygen atoms is -8 (4 x -2).
To balance out the negative charge from the oxygen atoms, the phosphorus atom must have a positive charge to reach an overall charge of -3. Therefore, the phosphorus atom in phosphate must have a charge of +5 (+5 + -8 = -3).
So, the charge of PO4 is -3, with the phosphorus having a charge of +5 and each oxygen having a charge of -2.
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