What is the difference between the nitrite ion and the nitrate ion?

See below

Step-by-step explanation:

Nitrite ion is NO₂⁻; nitrate ion is NO₃⁻.

The nitrate ion has one more oxygen atom than nitrite ion.

An - ate ion always has one more oxygen atom than an - ite ion.

You can see the structures of the two ions below.

Nitrate ion is NO3 and nitrite would be NO2. Well they both contain nitrogen and oxygen the number of oxygen atoms is different. both nitrate and nitrite molecules contain one nitrogen atom but nitrates have three atoms of oxygen and nitrates have only two.