The d and f block Elements(Frequently asked questions)
1. What are transition elements?
The elements with incompletely filled d orbital in ground state or in any one of their oxidation state.
2. Why Zn, Cd and Hg are not regarded as transition elements?
They do not have partly filled d –orbital in ground state or in any one of their oxidation state.
3. Why do transition elements exhibit higher enthalpy of atomization?
Due to stronger interatomic interaction.
4. Transition elements have high melting and boiling points?
Due to strong metal-metal bonding.
5. Why Zn, Cd and Hg are soft and have low melting and boiling points?
Due to weak metallic bonds present in them as all the electrons in d-subshell are paired
6. Why do transition elements shows variable oxidation states?
Due to participation of (n-1)d and ns electron in bond formation.
7. Name a transition element which does not exhibit variable oxidation states.-Scandium.
8. Which of the 3d series of the transition metals exhibits the largest number of oxidation
states? and why?-In 3d series Mn shows the highest oxidation state of +7 as it has maximum no. of
unpaired e- . Mn shows+2, +3, +4, +5, +6 and +7
9. Which metal in the first transition series exhibits +1 oxidation state most frequently and
why?Cu has the electronic configuration 3d10 4s1. It can easily lose 4s1 electron to give the stable
3d10 configuration.
10. Why is the highest oxidation state of a metal exhibited in its oxide or fluoride only?
Oxygen and fluorine have small size and high electronegativity .Hence, they can oxidize the metal
to the highest oxidation state.
11. Cu+ is not stable in aqueous solution .Why?
Many Cu (I) compounds are unstable in aqueous solution and undergo disproportionation.
2Cu+ → Cu2+ + Cu The stability of Cu2+ rather than Cu+ is due to more –ve hydration enthalpy of
2+ +
Cu than Cu which is much more and compensate for the II ionisation enthalpy.
12. Transition elements form coloured compounds . Why? Due to d-d transition. The electron is
excited to higher level; they absorb energy from visible region and exhibit complementary colours.
13. Why is Cu2+ ion coloured while Zn2+ ion is colourless in aqueous solution?
Presence of unpaired e- showing d-d transition in Cu2+ while in Zn2+ there is no unpaired electron.
14. Transition elements form alloys .Why? Due to similar metallic radii, similar property.
15. Most of the transition elements are paramagnetic .Why? Due to presence of unpaired electron
16. Which is the stronger reducing agent Cr2+ or Fe2+ and why?
Cr2+ is the stronger reducing agent because in case of Cr2+ to Cr3+ change in configuration is from
d4 to d3 and in Fe2+ to Fe3+ the change is from d6 to d5. In medium like water d3 is more stable as
compared to d5 due to half-filled t2g configuration.
17. Why do transition metals and their compounds show catalytic activity?
Because of multiple oxidation state / ability to form complex / having large surface area .
18. Zr and Hf have almost identical radii? Due to Lanthanoid contraction.
19. Why transition metals form large number of interstitial compounds ?
Because small non metallic atoms (H,B,C,N etc) are able to fit in the interstitial sites of transition
metal lattice to form interstitial compounds .
20. The d1 configuration is very unstable in ions. Why? The ions with d1configuration have the
tendency to lose the only electron present in d-subshell to acquire stable d0 configuration.
21. Actinoid contraction is greater from element to element than lanthanoid contraction. Why?
Due to poor shielding of 5f orbitals when compared to 4f orbitals.
22. What is misch metal? What is its composition? What is its use?
Mischmetall is an alloy which consists of a Lanthanoid metal ( ~ 95%) and iron ( ~ 5%) and traces of
S, C, Ca and Al.
