Arun
Last Activity: 7 Years ago
n is equal to 2 for carbonate. How did we arrive with that answer. Here is the justification:
Carbonate, CO3^ 2-, a weak base easily abstracts a hydrogen to give bicarbonate, HCO3^ -. Then the bicarbonate specie would abstract another hydrogen from the environment to give carbonic acid, H2CO3. There are 2 hydrogens needed for every carbonate specie.
The same reasoning is found with phosphate, PO4^ 3-, n = 3. It is not calculated, it is based on reactions undergone by the specie.