Which statement correctly describes the phosphate ion, [tex]$PO_4^{3-}$[/tex]?

A. It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms covalently bonded together, and there is a -3 charge distributed over the entire ion.

B. It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms covalently bonded together, and there is a -3 charge on the phosphorus atom.

C. It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms ionically bonded together, and there is a -3 charge distributed over the entire ion.

D. It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms ionically bonded together, and there is a -3 charge on the phosphorus atom.



Answer :

Let's analyze each statement regarding the phosphate ion, [tex]\(PO_4^{3-}\)[/tex]:

1. Option 1:
- "It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms covalently bonded together, and there is a -3 charge distributed over the entire ion."

This statement correctly identifies the composition of the phosphate ion: one phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms via covalent bonds. Additionally, the -3 charge is indeed distributed over the entire ion, meaning the charge is not localized on any specific atom.

2. Option 2:
- "It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms covalently bonded together, and there is a -3 charge on the phosphorus atom."

This implies that the entire -3 charge is localized solely on the phosphorus atom, which is not accurate. The -3 charge is, in fact, distributed over the entire ion, not just on the phosphorus atom.

3. Option 3:
- "It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms ionically bonded together, and there is a -3 charge distributed over the entire ion."

This is incorrect because the bonds within the phosphate ion are covalent bonds, not ionic bonds. Ionic bonds generally occur between metals and non-metals, whereas covalent bonds happen between non-metal atoms, such as phosphorus and oxygen.

4. Option 4:
- "It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms ionically bonded together, and there is a -3 charge on the phosphorus atom."

This is incorrect for two reasons: the atoms in the phosphate ion are covalently bonded, not ionically bonded, and the -3 charge is not localized on the phosphorus atom alone, but rather distributed over the entire ion.

Therefore, the correct statement is:

"It is composed of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms covalently bonded together, and there is a -3 charge distributed over the entire ion."