* Ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) - a positively charged polyatomic ion.
* Carbonate ion (CO₃²⁻) - a negatively charged polyatomic ion.
The chemical formula for ammonium carbonate is (NH₄)₂CO₃.
Here's why it's ionic:
* Ionic bonds form between a metal and a nonmetal, or between a positively charged ion (cation) and a negatively charged ion (anion).
* Ammonium carbonate has a positive ammonium ion and a negative carbonate ion, held together by an electrostatic attraction.
So, ammonium carbonate itself is the ionic compound. It doesn't have additional ionic compounds within its structure.
