Hi,
I am not understanding why Sulphate has a charge of 2-
I am thinking in terms of electrons from the sulphur and oxygen atoms and the bonds they form.
I have read that at a simple level the six outer electrons of sulphur form six bond pairs with oxygen. There are two covalent double bonds between sulphur and two oxygens. There are two further single bonds between sulphur and the other two oxygens. I am not understanding what those single bonds are.
On top of that I am reading that the bond electrons are delocalised - so that the bonds between sulphur and oxygen are actually identical and this leads to a tetrahedral shape for the sulphate ion - and there are electrons "over" which make the ion charged.
I am not grasping what that means in terms of
the source of those electrons in bonds and delocalised (i.e. which electrons from sulphur, which from oxygen)
the position of the electrons on the ion i.e. which electrons are in bonds are which are delocalised
how that arrangement of electrons affects the charge on the ion i.e. leads to the 2- charge
If anyone can explain I will much appreciate.
Thanks
Clive