Nitrate

The **nitrate ion** is a [|polyatomic ion] with the [|molecular formula] NO−3 and a [|molecular mass] of 62.0049 g/mol. It is the [|conjugate base] of [|nitric acid], consisting of one central [|nitrogen] [|atom] surrounded by three identically-bonded oxygen atoms in a [|trigonal planar] arrangement. The nitrate ion carries a [|formal charge] of -1. This results from a combination formal charge in which each of the three oxygens carries a − 2⁄3 charge, whereas the nitrogen carries a +1 charge, all these adding up to formal charge of the polyatomic nitrate ion. The nitrate ion. The net charge of the whole ion is 1−. Nitrates are medicines that are used to prevent and relieve chest pain ( angina) due to coronary artery disease. They belong to a class of medications called vasodilators that cause blood vessels to widen. The most common types of nitrates are nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate or GTN), isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate. Nitrates can be used to treat angina in three ways:
 * Uses:**
 * 1) Short-term nitrates are taken to relieve angina on an as-needed basis
 * 2) Short-term nitrates are also taken right before activities known to cause an attack to prevent angina
 * 3) Long-term nitrates are taken daily to decrease the number of angina attacks

This arrangement is commonly used as an example of [|resonance]. Like the [|isoelectronic] [|carbonate] ion, the nitrate ion can be represented by resonance structures: Uses: Nitrate compounds have a wide range of uses which rely on their activity as oxidising agents, the presence of freely available nitrogen or their high solubility.
 * Oxidising properties** [|Potassium nitrate] and [|Sodium nitrate] are widely used as strong oxidising agents, most notably in explosives where the rapid decomposition of nitrate into its constituent elements frees up large volumes of reactive oxygen. (see [|Gunpowder] for an example).
 * Nitrogen availability** Nitrates are widely used in very large quantities as [|fertilizers] in [|agriculture] because of their readiness to decompose and release nitrogen for plant growth and because of their ready solubility ensuring that nitrate ions can be adsorbed by plant [|root hairs].
 * Solubility** Nitrate compounds are widely used as industrial feedstock where an oxidising agent or source of nitrate ion is required. [|Nitric acid] is synthesised using sodium nitrate and [|Sulfuric acid] for example.