Nitrate ion
Charge: 1- · Type: Polyatomic anion · Molar mass: 62.004 g/mol
Made of: nitrogen, oxygen
How it forms
Nitric acid loses its proton to leave NO3-. The ion's three N-O bonds are identical because of resonance, spreading the negative charge evenly over the three oxygen atoms.
Naming note
NO3- is the nitrate ion; NO2- is nitrite. The -ate ending marks the ion with more oxygen atoms.
Examples in compounds
Potassium nitrate
Sodium nitrate
Silver nitrate