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QuestionChemistry

What is the name for the chemical formula K^3 PO^4 , and is it ionic or covalent?
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Step 1:
I'll solve this step by step following the LaTeX formatting guidelines:

Step 2:
: Identify the Chemical Components

* Phosphate ($$PO_{4}^{3-}$$) - a polyatomic ion
- This contains: * Potassium (K) - a metal

Step 3:
: Analyze the Chemical Bonding

- Phosphate is a polyatomic ion with a $$3-$$ charge
- Potassium (K) is a Group 1 metal that readily forms positive ions - Metals and polyatomic ions typically form ionic bonds

Step 4:
: Determine the Chemical Name

- The systematic name for $$K_{3}PO_{4}$$ is potassium phosphate
- The "potassium" prefix indicates the metal cation - "Phosphate" indicates the polyatomic anion

Step 5:
: Confirm Bonding Type

- The potassium ions ($$K^{+}$$) are electrostatically bonded to the phosphate ions ($$PO_{4}^{3-}$$)
- Since the compound involves a metal and a polyatomic ion, it is IONIC - Ionic compounds transfer electrons between elements

Final Answer

- Chemical Name: Potassium Phosphate - Bonding Type: Ionic