Every oxygen is just gaining one electrons, so 4 oxygens should be -1. Also, the phosphate atom has one free electron (since it overall has 5 and it only gave 4 to the 4 oxygens surrounding it)...so overall the phosphate ion should have +1 charge.
Not only that but it seems the phosphate ion has a net charge of -3 if you count all the missing electrons on the oxygen (and add the extra electron on the phosphate).
Have I said anything wrong?
ChemBuddy | 
Chem Reddit | 
Topic: Phosphate ions don't make sense (Read 2691 times)