Which ion is represented by ClO4^-?

The ion represented by ClO4^- is known as perchlorate. This designation comes from the systematic naming conventions of oxyanions, which are polyatomic ions that contain oxygen. In this naming system, "per-" indicates that the ion has one more oxygen atom than the "chlorate" ion (ClO3^-), which has one less oxygen than perchlorate.

The structure of perchlorate features a chlorine atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, with one negative charge distributed that results from having more oxygen atoms than the chlorine atom’s typical positive oxidation state.

While related ions such as chlorate (ClO3^-), chlorite (ClO2^-), and hypochlorite (ClO^-) reference progressively fewer oxygen atoms, perchlorate specifically retains the maximum number of oxygen atoms associated with chlorine in this oxidation state. Understanding these distinctions helps in navigating the nomenclature of related polyatomic ions in chemistry.