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Sulfate Ion - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Richard Boole

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The sulfate ion is a chemical ion commonly studied in GCSE Chemistry. It is made up of one sulfur atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms, with the overall negative charge 2-. Its chemical formula is SO42-. Sulfate ions are commonly found in minerals, water sources, and everyday products like cleaning detergents. They can react with metal ions to form useful compounds such as gypsum and plaster. Learning about sulfate ions helps students understand how chemical reactions create materials we use in construction, healthcare, and daily life.

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Richard Boole

Reviewer: Richard Boole

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Richard has taught Chemistry for over 15 years as well as working as a science tutor, examiner, content creator and author. He wasn’t the greatest at exams and only discovered how to revise in his final year at university. That knowledge made him want to help students learn how to revise, challenge them to think about what they actually know and hopefully succeed; so here he is, happily, at SME.

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