THE PSBB MILLENNIUM SCHOOL, OMR

Class 12 D & F block elements

DATE: 10.03.25 SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

1. Zinc, cadmium and mercury are not considered as transi on metals. Why?
Ans. Zinc, cadmium and mercury have fully filled d10 configura on. Therefore, they arenot
considered as transi on metal.
2. Write the general configura on of d- block elements.
Ans. General electronic configura on of d- block elements is (n-1)d1-10 ns 1-2

3. Transi on metals are good cataly c reagents. Why?

Ans. Transi on metals are excellent catalysts because of their ability to exist in mul ple
oxida on states, form complexes with reactants, and readily donate or accept electrons, all
of which contribute to lowering the ac va on energy and facilita ng reac ons.

4. Name a transi on element which does not exhibit variable oxida on states.
Ans- Scandium.

5. Why is the highest oxida on state of a metal exhibited in its oxide or fluoride only?
Ans – Oxygen and fluorine have small size and high electro nega vity. Hence, they can oxidize
the metal to the highest oxida on state.

6. Which is the stronger reducing agent Cr2+ or Fe2+ and why?

Ans Cr2+ is the stronger reducing agent because in case of Cr2+ to Cr3+ change in configura on
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 configura on.

7. Ce4+ is a good oxidizing agent and Eu2+ is a good reducing agent. Why?
Ans. The most stable oxida on state in lanthanoids is +3 and all lanthanoids try to a ain it.
Thus, Ce4+ will easily accept an electron i.e. get reduced thus behaving like a good oxidizing
agent. The opposite applies to Eu2+ which loses an electron to a ain +3 oxida on state
behaving as a good reducing agent.
8. Explain ‘Misch metal’ and write its use.
Ans : It is an alloy of 95% Lanthanoid and 5% iron and traces of S, C, Ca and Al. Used in lighter
flint, bullet ps etc.

9. Why transi on metals form large number of inters al compounds?

Ans. Because small non- metallic atoms (H, B, C, N etc) are able to fit in the inters al sites of
transi on metal la ce to form inters al compounds.
 10. Why does copper not replace hydrogen from acids?
Ans. The unique behavior of Cu, having a posi ve E° = + 0.34V accounts for its inability to
liberate from acids.
11. Why E° values for Mn, Ni and Zn are more nega ve than expected?
Ans. The stability of the half-filled d sub-shell in Mn 2+ and the completely filled d10
configura on in Zn2+ are related to their E° values, whereas for Ni is related to the highest
nega ve Hydra on enthalpy.

12. Why is La(OH)3 more basic then Lu(OH)3 ?

Ans: La(OH)3 is more basic then Lu(OH)3 because the la er has greater covalent character as
compared to the former on account of lanthanoid contrac on. The release of OH- ion from
Lu(OH)3 is more difficult and less basic than La(OH)3

13. Higher oxida on state of Mn with F is +4 whereas with oxygen is +7. Why? Or The highest
oxida on state of a metal is exhibited in its oxide or fluoride. Why?
Ans: Ability to form mul ple bond by oxygen.
14. What are inters al compounds?
Ans: Transi on metals form inters al compounds because their crystal la ces have open
spaces that can be filled by small atoms like hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen.

15. Mn2+ is much more resistant than Fe2+ towards oxida on.
Ans: Mn3+ (d4) is less stable than Mn2+ (d5) half field while Fe3+(d5) half-filled is more stable
than Fe2+(d4). That is why Mn2+is more resistant than Fe2+ towards oxida on.

2/3/5 Marks

16. I) In addi on of FeSO4 with KMnO4 in the acidic medium, Why is dil. H2SO4 used instead of
dil. HCl
II) Give Reason: -
(a) Among the transi on metals, the highest oxida on state is exhibited in oxoanions of a metal
(b) Ce+4 is used an oxidizing agent in volumetric analysis.
(c) Zn+2 salts are white while Cu+2 salts are blue.
(d) Transi on metals form large no of complex compounds.
Ans I. Dil. H2SO4 is an oxidizing agent and oxidize FeSO4 to Fe2(SO4)3. Dil Hcl is reducing agent
and liberates chlorine gas on reac on with KMnO4.
II) (a) In oxoanions the oxygen atoms are directly bonded to the transi on metal.Since oxygen
is highly electronega ve, the oxoanions bring out the highest oxida on state of the metal.
(b) Ce+4 has the tendency to a ain +3 oxida on states which is more stable and so it is used as
an oxidizing agent in volumetric analysis.
( c) Zn+2 ion has all its orbitals completely filled whereas Cu+2 ion there is incompletely filled
orbitals. Therefore d-d transi on Cu+2 has a tendency to form colourless salts
d) The tendency to form complex compounds is due to: Small size and high charge on metal
ion.
17) Give reasons for the following:
(i) The only oxida on state shown by scandium is +3
(ii) [Ti(H20)6]4+ is colourless.
(iii) Mn0 is basic while Mn207 is acidic.
(iv) Which element of 3d series has highest mp and bp why?
(v) Which element of 3d series is a strong oxidizing agent in oxida on agent +3 oxida on
state and why?
Ans:
(i) Sc(21) has electronic configura on : [Ar] 3d1 4s2. At +3 oxida on state, stable d0 is
obtained.
(ii) [Ti(H20)6]4+ is colourless it cannot undergo d-d transi on as it do not have unpaired
electrons
(iii) The oxide in the lower oxida on state of a metal is basic and in the higher oxida on
state of the metal, it is acidic . That is why, MnO (oxida on state is +2) is basic whereas
Mn2O7 (oxida on state +7) is acidic.
(iv) Cr, the highest mp of Cr is a ributed to the involvement of greater no of electrons
from 3d in addi on 4s electrons in inter atomic metallic bonding.
(v) Mn, because the change from Mn+3 (d4) to Mn+2(d5) results in the half-filled
configura on which has extra stability.
18) Why E° values for Mn, Ni and Zn are more nega ve than expected?
Ans. The stability of the half-filled d sub-shell in Mn2 + and the completely filled d10
configura on in Zn2+ are related to their E° values, whereas for Ni is related to the highest
nega ve Hydra on enthalpy.
19) FeCr2O4 is fused with Na2CO3 in the presence of air it gives a yellow solu on of
compound (A). Compound (A) on acidifica on gives compound (B). Compound (B) on
reac on with KCl forms an orange-coloured compound (C). An acidified solu on of
compound (C) oxidises H2S to (D). Iden fy (A), (B), (C), and (D).
Ans: a) A - Na2CrO4 B - Na2Cr2O7 C - K2Cr2O7 D–S
20) Describe the oxidising ac on of potassium dichromate and write the ionic equa ons
for its reac on with:
(i) iodide (ii) iron(II) solu on and (iii) H2S
21) d. Give two similari es in the proper es of Sc and Zn
 Ans: Sc and Zn both form colourless compound and are diamagne c.

HOTS & CREATIVITY

22) Use the data to answer the following and also jus fy giving reason:

Cr Mn Fe Co Zn
E0M2+/M -0.91 -1.18 -0.44 -0.28 -0.76
E0M3+/M2+ -0.41 +1.57 +0.77 +1.97 ---

a) Which is a stronger reducing agent in aqueous medium, Cr2+ or Fe2+ and why?
b) Find the M3+ ion which has the highest number of unpaired electrons and the ion which
is colorless in +2 state.

c) E value for (Mn3+|Mn2+) is highly posi ve than that for (Cr3+|Cr2+) couple.
Ans:
a) Cr2+ is a be er reducing agent. As it a ains a d3 [t2g3] configura on on losing an electron
while Fe3+ a ains d5 configura on. In an aqueous medium d3 (half-filled t2g orbital) is more
stable than d5.
b) Fe3+ has the highest number of unpaired electrons, Zn 2+ is colorless because of empty d
orbital.
c) Because Mn2+ is more stable than Mn3+ due to half-filled d5 configura on, whereas Cr3+ is
more stable than Cr2+ due to t2g3 configura on.
23) Following are the transi on metal ions of 3d series: Ti4+, V2+, Mn3+, Cr3+
(Atomic numbers: Ti = 22, V = 23, Mn = 25, Cr = 24) Answer the following:

(i) Which ion is a strong oxidizing agent and why?

(ii) Find the ion which has the highest number of unpaired electrons and the ion which is
colorless.

(iii) Iden fy the ion that is most stable in an aqueous solu on and why.
i) Mn3+ is a strong oxidizing agent because it can easily be converted to Mn2+ having
ds configura on which is extra stable.
ii) Mn3+ has four unpaired electrons & Ti4+ has empty d orbitals and it is colorless.
 iii) Cr3+ is most stable in aqueous solu on according to crystal field theory it has
t2g3 configura on and is extremely stable.
24) a. Which of the following ions will have a magne c moment value of 1.73 BM. Sc3+, Ti3+, Ti2+,
Cu2+, Zn2+
Ans: Both Ti3+ and Cu2+ have 1 unpaired electron, so the magne c moment for both will be 1.73
BM
b. In order to protect iron from corrosion, which one will you prefer as a sacrificial electrode, Ni or
Zn? Why? (Given standard electrode poten als of Ni, Fe and Zn are -0.25 V, -0.44 V and -0.76 V
respec vely.)
Ans: Zn, it has a more nega ve electrode poten al so will corrode itself in place of iron.
c. The second ioniza on enthalpies of chromium and manganese are 1592 and 1509 kJ/mol
respec vely. Explain the lower value of Mn.
Ans: Mn+ has 3d54s1 configura on and configura on of Cr+ is 3d5 , therefore, ionisa on enthalpy
of Mn+ is lower than Cr+ .
d. What is ac noid contrac on? What causes ac noid contrac on?
Ans: (The decrease in the atomic and ionic radii with increase in atomic number of ac noids due
to poor shielding effect of 5f electron.
e What is the oxida on state of chromium in chromate ion and dichromate ion?
Ans: In both chromate and dichromate ion the oxida on state of Cr is +6
f. Write the ionic equa on for reac on of KI with acidified KMnO4.