Periodicity

Topic 13
 Formation of coloured substances
• Complete the table below
Substance Transition metal ion Colour of solution Ligand present
[Cu(H2O)6]2+ Cu 2+ Sea Blue H2O
[Cu(NH3)4(H2O)2]2+ Cu 2+ Deep blue/Violet NH3 and H2O

[Fe(SCN)(H2O)5]2+ Fe 3+ Blood red SCN- and H2O

[Ni(H2O)6]2+ Ni2+ Light green H2O

[Fe(H2O)6]2+ Fe2+ Green H2O
{Fe(H2O)6]3+ Fe3+ Reddish brown H2O
[Mn(H2O)6]2+ Mn2+ Pale pink H2O
KMnO4 Mn7+ Purple K2O
[Cr(H2O)6]3+ Cr3+ Violet H2O
K2Cr2O7 Cr6+ Orange K2O
Fill in the gaps to complete the sentences to make general statements

1. Same transition metals with different ligands form different coloured soltions. Eg [Fe(H 2O)6]2+ and [Fe(SCN)(H2O)5]2+
have same transitional metals but they have different colors because of having different ligands

2. Complexes with the same ligands do not form the same coloured solutions. Eg [Fe(H 2O)6]2+ and [Fe(H2O)6]3+
3. Transition metal ions with the same oxidation numbers do not form the same coloured solutions.
Eg [Fe(SCN)(H2O)5]2+ and [Mn(H2O)6]2+

4. Colour of solutions depend on geometry of complex ions,oxidation state, and ,identity of the metal.
What do you understand by colour wheel? Use the snapshots to answer the question and also any other
information

Pick another one from the IB data booklet section 17

Each colour in the wheel is complementary colour which is shown in the opposite colour as seen in the
diagrams below and there are 6 colors in general( ROYGBV). In the case of CUSO4 below when the
white light is passed through it that light that was absorbed was orange and by definition if orange is
absorbed blue light must by all means appear or be transmitted.

From the above diagram it is clear that the

wavelength is decreasing clock-wisely as it
moves from red to violet
What do you understand by the splitting of the d sub-orbitals? Use the snapshots to answer the question and also any
other information.
ANSWER: All transitional metals have at least one partially filled d orbitals. The 5d orbitals are degenerate with equal
energy and when ligands bond to the central metal ion repulsion between the electrons in the ligand and those in the d
orbitals causes the five d orbitals to split into two sets of different energy known as non-degenerate orbitals.
What determines the extend to which the d sub-orbitals split? Use the snapshots to answer the question and also any
other information.
ANSWER: Depending on the geometry of the complex ion the 5 d orbitals split into two sets. Mostly in Octahedral
complex ions the 5 d orbital splits into 2 orbitals of higher energy and 3 orbitals and electron can transition from the the
lower to higher by absorbing energy. Orbitals with less( one) electron possess greater force than the fully filled ones.
What do you understand by light/colour being absorbed? Use the snapshots to answer the question and also any
other information.
ANSWER: The energy absorbed when the electrons got excited to transition from the lower energy state to a
higher one corresponds to the wavelengths of visible light with the complementary colour of the colour that is
absorbed being transmitted
What do understand by complementary colours? Use the snapshots to answer the question and also any other
information.
ANSWER: When white light gets passed through a solution containing complex ions, some pigments of lights are
absorbed while some are absorbed. Each colour in the colour wheel has complementary colour facing it in an
opposite direction and they appear simultaneously meaning if one gets absorbed the other one gets transmitted. In
actuality the colour that we see is the colour the colour which has been transmitted
What are the factors that determine the colour
formed by a transition metal compound?
• geometry of complex ions
• Oxidation state of the central metal ion
• The identity of the metal