Final answer:
The correct name for the NO3- ion is nitrate, named as such based on the oxyanion nomenclature for ions containing one element and oxygen, where nitrate has three oxygen atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct name for the NO3- ion is nitrate. This is because, in the chemistry nomenclature, anions (negatively charged ions) that contain oxygen and one other element (known as oxyanions) are given a name based on the number of oxygen atoms present. For oxyanions with the largest number of oxygen atoms in the series, the suffix –ate is used. In the case of nitrogen, the oxyanion with three oxygen atoms and a single negative charge is referred to as nitrate, hence NO3- is nitrate.
It's important to be aware of the distinction between similarly named ions. For instance, the nitrite ion has one fewer oxygen atom than nitrate and is represented as NO2-. There are common names for some nitrogen oxides, such as nitrogen monoxide for NO and dinitrogen monoxide for N2O, but these terms refer to different chemical compounds and are not related to the question about the nitrate ion.