Question

In a polyatomic ion, the -ate ending indicates one ____ oxygen than the -ite ending.

Answer 1

Welcome to OpenStudy. Some polyatomic anions contain oxygen. These anions are called oxyanions. When an element forms two oxyanions, the one with less oxygen is given a name ending in -ite and the one with more oxgyen is given a name that ends in -ate.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/nomenclature/a/nomenclature-ionic-compounds.htm