d and f block elements

(I) Reasoning type questions

Configuration based

1. Copper atom has completely filled d orbitals (3d10) in its ground state, yet it is regarded
as a transition element. Why?
Ans:Copper atom has completely filled d orbitals (3d10) in its ground state, yet it is
regarded as a transition element due to incompletely filled d-orbital in its ionic states i.e.
Cu2+ (3d9)

2. Silver atom has completely filled d-orbitals (4d10) in its ground state, yet it is regarded as
a transition element. Why?
Ans:Because silver has incomplete d-orbital (4d9) in its +2 oxidation state, hence it is a
transition element.

3. Zn is not regarded as a transition element. Why?

Ans:Zinc Atomic no. 30.
EC:3d10 4s2.
It has completely filled ‘d’ orbitals in ground state and also in its stable oxidation state
Zn2+(3d10) . Hence it is not regarded as transition element

4. Out of Fe2+ and the Cr2+ which one is stronger reducing agent. Why?
Ans: The highest oxidation state for Cr is +6, therefore it can loose 3 more
electrons, whereas Fe needs to loose only 1 electron to achieve its highest
oxidation state of +3. Thus, Cr3+ is more reducing than Fe2+.

5. Mn2+ is much more resistant than Fe2+ towards oxidation. Why? Ans:Mn2+ has
half-filled configuration 3d5 and is more stable compared to Fe2+ which has 3d6
configuration.
Fe2+ will readily loose one electron to get oxidised to Fe3+ to get stable half filled
3d5 configuration. Therefore, Mn2+ is much more resistant than Fe2+ towards
oxidation

6. Cr2+ is reducing in nature while with the same d-orbital configuration (d4) Mn3+
is an oxidising agent. Why?
Ans:Cr2+ has the configuration 3d4 which easily changes to d3 by oxidation
because of greater stability of half filled t2g orbitals. Therefore Cr2+ is reducing
agent.
Mn2+ has stable half filled d5 configuration. Hence Mn3+ easily changes to
Mn2+ and acts as oxidising agent.
7. Explain why colour of KMnO4 disappears when oxalic acid is added to its solution
in acidic medium.
Ans:KMnO4 acts as oxidising agent. It oxidises oxalic acid to CO2 and itself
changes to Mn2+ ion which is colourless.
2MnO4-+5C2O42-+6H+------>
2Mn2++10CO2 + 8H2O

8. Cr2+ is a strong reducing agent.why?

Ans:Cr+2 (3d4) after loosing one electron forms Cr+3 (3d3). It is more stable due
to half filled t2g configuration. Hence Cr+2 acts as reducing agent.

9. Co2+ is easily oxidised in the presence of a strong ligand.

Ans:Co2+ ion is easily oxidised to Co3+ ion in presence of a strong ligand because
of its higher crystal field splitting energy which causes pairing of electrons in t2g
level to give fully filled t2g6 which is more stable.

Colour based questions

10. Transition elements generally form coloured compounds.why?

Ans:Because of presence of unpaired d electrons, which undergoes d-d
transition by absorption of energy from visible region and then the emitted light
shows complementary colours. This is how transition elements form coloured
compounds.

11. Which of the following cations are coloured in aqueous solutions and why?SC3+,
V3+, Ti4+, Mn2+.
Ans:SC3+ :3d0= no unpaired electron
V3+ :3d2 = 2 unpaired electron
Ti4+ :3d0 = no unpaired electron
Mn2+ :3d5 = 5 unpaired electron
Thus V3+ and Mn2+ are coloured in their aqueous solution due to presence of
unpaired electron

12. Zn+2 salts are white. Give reason.

Ans:Zn2+ salts are colourless due to absence of unpaired electrons in its ground
state and ionic state i.e. Zn2+ = [Ar] 3d10

13. Following are the transition metal ions of 3d series:

 Ti4+, V2+, Mn3+, Cr3+
Which ion is colourless and why?
Ans:Ti4+ is colourless due to d° configuration, i.e., no unpaired electrons.

Other important Reasoning Questions

14. Although fluorine is more electronegative than oxygen but the ability of oxygen to
stabilize higher Oxidation State exceeds that of fluorine. Why?
Ans: because O2 has tendency to form multiple bonds with metal as it forms
O2-ion which has stronger attraction for higher oxidation states as compared to F-

15. Enthalpies of atomization of transition metals are quite high. Why?

Ans:In transition elements, there are large number of unpaired electrons in their
atoms, thus they have a stronger inter atomic interaction and thereby stronger
bonding between the atoms. Due to this they have high enthalpies of atomization

16. Although +3 Oxidation state is the characteristic Oxidation state of lanthanoids

but Ce shows +4 Oxidation State also why?
Ans: After losing one more electron Ce3+ acquires stable 4f0 electronic
configuration. Thus, although +3 oxidation state is the characteristic oxidation state of
lanthanoids cerium shows +4 oxidation state also.

17. La(OH)3 is more basic than Lu(OH)3. Why?

Ans:Due to lanthanide contraction,the size of lanthanide ions decreses from La3+
to Lu3+ . Hence the covalent character of the hydroxides increases and the basic
strength decreases.
La(OH)3 is most basic and Lu(OH)3 is least basic.

18. Actinoids exhibits a larger number of Oxidation State than the corresponding
members in the Lanthanoid series.why?
Ans: because 5f ,6d and 7s levels have almost comparable energies (Very small
energy difference between sub shells) than the energy difference between 4f and
5d orbitals in case of lanthanoid.
Thus, the outermost electrons get easily excited to the higher energy levels,
giving variable oxidation states.

19. The stability of Cu2+ is more than Cu+. Why?

Ans:Cu2+(aq) is much more stable than Cu+(aq). This is because although
 second ionization enthalpy of copper is large but Δhyd (hydration enthalpy) for
Cu2+(aq) is much more negative than that for Cu+(aq) and hence it more than
compensates for the second ionization enthalpy of copper. Therefore, many
copper (I) compounds are unstable in aqueous solution and undergo
disproportionation as follows :
2Cu+ → Cu2+ + Cu

20. The oxidising power of three oxo ions in the series follows the order.
VO2+ < Cr2O72- < MnO4- . Why?
Ans: Two reasons:
1. This is due to the increasing stability of the lower oxidation state of metal
atom to which they are reduced.
2. In the given three oxoanions, the oxidation states of V, Cr and Mn are
+5,+6 and +7 respectively. As the oxidation state increases, the ease with
which the oxoanions accept electrons increases. This increases the
oxidizing power.

21. Transition metals exhibit variable oxidation states.

Ans:Because the energy difference between (n-1) d-orbitals and ns-orbitals is
very less. Since there is very little energy difference between these orbitals, both
energy levels can be used for bond formation. Thus transition elements exhibit
variable oxidation states.

22. Transition metals act as catalyst. Why?

(II) Equations based Questions

23. Complete the following equations?

1. MnO4-(aq) + 5Fe+2(aq) +8H+(aq)---->
2. MnO4-(aq)+S2O32-(aq)+H2O(l)----->
3. MnO4-+ NO2- + H+------->
4. MnO4-+ C2O42-+ H+----->
5. Cr2O72-(aq)+2Fe+2(aq)+H+(aq) —->
6. (NH4) 2Cr2O7 ∆—->
7. Cr2O72-+ H+ + I------>
24. Describe the oxidising action of potassium dichromate and write the ionic equations
for its reaction with
(i) iodine (ii) H2S.

25. When an oxide of Manganese (A) is fused with KOH in the presence of an oxidizing
agent and dissolved in water, it gives a dark green solution of compound (B).
Compound (B) disproportionate in neutral or acidic solution to give purple compound(C).
Identify compounds A to C and also explain the reactions involved.
26. Describe the preparation of potassium permanganate. How does the acidified
permanganate solution react with oxalic acid? Write the ionic equations for the
reactions.
27. what is meant by disproportionation reaction? Give an example?
28. Describe the preparation of potassium dichromate from chromite ore. What is
the effect of change of pH on dichromate ion?
29. What is lanthanoid contraction?
Ans:Lanthanoid contraction: The overall decrease in atomic and ionic radii with
increasing atomic number from La to Lu due to imperfect shielding of 4f-orbital is known
as lanthanoid contraction. Cause : As we move along the lanthanoid series, the
effective nuclear charge increases on addition of electrons and the electrons added in
f-subshell causes imperfect shielding which is unable to counterbalance the effect of the
increased nuclear charge. Hence the contraction in size occurs