noun / verb
sulfate
SUL-fayt/ˈsʌlfeɪt/
A compound or ion derived from sulfuric acid, or its application to something.
Blue copper sulfate crystals rest on the watch glass.
Etymology
The sulfur base identifies the element, while chemical -ate names salts corresponding to acids in -ic. Thus sulfate names a salt of sulfuric acid.
In context
this is also the number of sulfate ions as a result if all the sulfate ions could be turned into sulfuric acid then we would end up with one mole of sulfuric acid
More examples
- The label lists magnesium sulfate as an ingredient.
- The laboratory measures the amount of sulfate in the water.
- Several sulfates dissolve readily in this sample.
Forms
sulfate · sulfates · sulfated · sulfating