The carbonate ion (CO3 2-) is a non-polar molecule. This is because the molecule has a symmetrical trigonal planar shape, which means the dipoles of the individual bonds cancel each other out.
In the carbonate ion, each oxygen atom is bonded to the central carbon atom, and the molecule has a symmetrical arrangement. The electronegativity difference between carbon and oxygen creates polar bonds, but due to the symmetrical shape, the overall dipole moment of the molecule is zero. This makes the carbonate ion non-polar.
Understanding the polarity of molecules is important in predicting their behavior in chemical reactions and their interactions with other molecules.