Final answer:
The suffixes -ite and -ate in a polyatomic ion's name indicate the presence of oxygen, with -ate having more oxygen atoms than -ite.
Step-by-step explanation:
An -ite or -ate ending in a polyatomic ion means that oxygen is in the formula. For instance, the suffix '-ate' is used for the ion with more oxygen atoms, while '-ite' is for the ion with fewer oxygen atoms compared to its '-ate' counterpart. Sulfate (SO42-) and sulfite (SO32-), nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-), and chlorate (ClO3-) and chlorite (ClO2-) are all examples of such ions where the '-ate' ion has one more oxygen atom than the '-ite' ion.