Question

Write the correct formula for each species: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, the carbonate ion. List as many similarities and differences between these three species as you can. Try to get at least one contribution from each group member.

Short answer

Carbon monoxide: CO, Carbon dioxide: CO2, Carbonate ion: CO3^2-. Similarities include all containing carbon and oxygen and being carbon oxides. Differences include oxidation states of carbon, charge states, number of oxygen atoms, and their environmental impact and physical states.

Step-by-step solution

Writing the chemical formula for carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a compound made of one carbon atom (C) and one oxygen atom (O). The correct chemical formula for carbon monoxide is written as CO.

Writing the chemical formula for carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide consists of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms. The correct chemical formula for carbon dioxide is CO2.

Writing the chemical formula for the carbonate ion

The carbonate ion is a polyatomic ion with one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms. It carries a charge of -2. The correct chemical formula for the carbonate ion is CO3^2-.

Listing similarities

Similarities between the three chemical species are: 1. All contain the element carbon (C). 2. All contain the element oxygen (O). 3. All are oxides of carbon, meaning they are composed of carbon and oxygen.

Listing differences

Differences between the three include: 1. The oxidation state of carbon is different in each species. 2. Carbon monoxide has a neutral charge, carbon dioxide is also neutral, but the carbonate ion carries a -2 charge. 3. The number of oxygen atoms each species is bonded to: CO has 1, CO2 has 2, and CO3^2- has 3. 4. Their physical states and roles in the environment vary, with carbon monoxide being a gas and toxic, carbon dioxide being a gas and a greenhouse gas, and carbonate ions being commonly found in solid state as part of minerals and rocks.

Key concepts

Writing Chemical Formulas

Understanding how to write chemical formulas is a basic yet crucial skill in chemistry. It is a shorthand way of representing the elements and the number of atoms of each element that make up a compound. For instance, carbon monoxide's chemical formula, CO, means it consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom.

The formula for carbon dioxide, CO2, indicates one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms. It's important to note that subscripts in chemical formulas, such as the '2' in CO2, represent the number of atoms of the element that comes directly before the subscript. If there is no subscript, like in CO, it means there's only one atom of the element. In the case of polyatomic ions such as the carbonate ion, the formula CO3^2- not only tells us the types and numbers of atoms, but also the overall charge of the ion.

Carbon Oxides

The category of carbon oxides includes various compounds composed of carbon and oxygen. Carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the most common and serve distinct roles in the environment. CO is often associated with pollution and can be deadly due to its bonding with hemoglobin, preventing oxygen transport in blood. CO2, on the other hand, is a naturally occurring gas that plants use for photosynthesis and is a significant greenhouse gas affecting global climate.

While both CO and CO2 are colorless and odorless gases at room temperature, they vastly differ in their impact and interaction with living organisms. This demonstrates how differences in chemical structures can lead to diverse properties and functions in carbon compounds.

Polyatomic Ions

A polyatomic ion is a charged entity composed of two or more atoms covalently bonded together. The carbonate ion (CO3^2-) is an example, consisting of one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms with a -2 charge.

In polyatomic ions, the overall charge results from the combination of the individual oxidation numbers of each atom. These ions are typically found in various states of matter and are essential components in inorganic compounds. For example, the carbonate ion is prevalent in rocks and minerals such as limestone and also plays a major role in the biological process of shell and bone formation in animals.

Oxidation States

The oxidation state, also known as oxidation number, is an indicator of the degree of oxidation of an atom in a chemical compound. It's an imaginary charge that an atom would have if the compound was composed of ions. In CO, the carbon atom has an oxidation state of +2, while in CO2 it's +4. The increase in oxidation state from CO to CO2 indicates an increase in the oxygen content.

When it comes to polyatomic ions like the carbonate ion, understanding oxidation states becomes more complex. The oxidation state of carbon in CO3^2- is +4, while each oxygen has an oxidation state of -2. The sum of oxidation states in the ion must equal the overall charge (-2 in this case). Mastering the determination of oxidation states is fundamental in predicting the reactivity of different elements and understanding redox reactions.