Chemical Properties
The bicarbonate ion (hydrogen carbonate ion) is an anion with the empirical formula HCO3− and a molecular mass of 61.01 daltons; it consists of one central carbon atom surrounded by three oxygen atoms in a trigonal planar arrangement, with a hydrogen atom attached to one of the oxygens. It is isoelectronic with nitric acid HNO3. The bicarbonate ion carries a negative one formal charge and is the conjugate base of carbonic acid H2CO3; it is the conjugate acid of CO2−
3, the carbonate ion, as shown by these equilibrium reactions.
CO32− +2 H2O HCO3− + H2O + OH− H2CO3 +2 OH−
H2CO3 +2 H2O HCO3− + H3O+ + H2O CO32− +2 H3O+
A bicarbonate salt forms when a positively charged ion attaches to the negatively charged oxygen atoms of the ion, forming an ionic compound. Many bicarbonates are soluble in water at standard temperature and pressure, in particular sodium bicarbonate contributes to total dissolved solids, a common parameter for assessing water quality.
Read more about this topic: Bicarbonate
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