Question: what is the difference between carbonate and bicarbonate?
Answer: Originally Answered: What is the difference between carbonate and bicarbonate? Carbonate is the CO₃²⁻ ion; bicarbonate is the HCO₃⁻ ion, also called the “hydrogen carbonate” ion. Thus sodium carbonate is Na₂CO₃ and sodium bicarbonate is NaHCO₃. ... Carbonates are more basic than bicarbonates.