d AND f- BLOCK ELEMENTS

[BOARD QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS (PAST 7 YEARS)]

1. Accounts for the following.
(i) Transition metals from alloys.
ANSWER: They from alloys due to similar ionic.
2. Write one similarity one difference between chemistry of lanthanoid and
actinoid.
ANSWER:
SIMILARITIES:
(i) Both are electropositive and very reactive.
(ii) Both show mainly an oxidation state of +3.
(iii) Actinoid exhibit actinoid contraction like lanthanoid contraction shown by
lanthanoid.
DIFFERENCES:
LANTHANOID ACTINOID
1. Except promethium, they are non- 1. They are all radioactive.
radioactive.

2. Most of the ions are colourless. 2. Most of the ions are coloured.

3. They have less tendency towards 3. They have greater tendency

complex formation. towards complex formation.

3. Account for the following (i) Actinoids show wide range of oxidation state.
ANSWER:
Actinoid show a large number of oxidation states because of very small energy
gap between 5f, 6d, 7s subshells.
4. Why is the separation of lanthanide elements difficult?
ANSWER:
Due to lanthanoid contraction lanthanoid have similar ionic size. Hence their
chemical properties are similar.
5. Account for the following. (i) Transition metal ions are usually coloured.
ANSWER:
Due to presence of incomplete d-subshell.
6. Why is chemistry of actinoids complicated as compared to lanthanoids?
ANSWER:
Chemistry of actinoid is complicated as compared to lanthanoids due to its
more radioactive elements. They are present in small quantities and their half-
life is extremely small. Moreover they show more variable oxidation states
than lanthanoids and their 5f orbital is more exposed to outer environment
while 4f orbital of lanthanoids are deeply buried.
7. Explain the reason why cr has highest melting point and manganese (Mn) a
lower melting point.
ANSWER:
Cr-3d5 (half- filled d orbitals) strength of metallic bond depends upon the
number of unpaired d-electron. Greater is the number of unpaired electron
stronger is the metallic bonding. Cr have high melting point and boiling point.
8. A transition element ‘X’ has electronic configuration [Ar] 4s2 3d3. Predict its
oxidation states.
ANSWER:
[X] = [Ar] 4s2 3d3. The atomic number is 23 and the element will be vanadium.
Its oxidation states are +2, +3, +4 and +5.
9. Account for the following: (i) In the 3d transition series Zinc has the lowest
enthalpy of atomisation.
ANSWER:
Zinc has no unpaired electron as its electronic configuration is 3d10 4s2. Hence
atomic intermetallic bonding (metal-metal bonding) is weakest in zinc.
Therefore enthalpy of atomisation is lowest.
10. Cu+ ion is unstable in aqueous solution. Give reason.
ANSWER:
Cu+ ion is unstable in aqueous solution because it undergoes
2Cu+ → Cu2+ + Cu.
Although energy is required to remove one electron from Cu+ to Cu2+, high
hydration energy of Cu2+ compensates it.
11. Write the number of unpaired electrons in Cr 3+ [Atomic number of Cr = 24]
ANSWER:
[Ar] 3d3 4s0
↑ ↑ ↑

It has 3 unpaired electron.

12. Mn2+ is more stable than Fe2+ towards oxidation to +3 state. Give reason.
ANSWER:
EC = Mn2+ = 3d5 Half- filled more stable. 3rd ionisation enthalpy is high. 3rd
electron cannot be lost easily. Fe2+ = EC = 3d6. It can lose one electron easily to
give the stable configuration 3d5.
13. Account for the following E0 value for Mn3+/Mn2+ couple is much more
positive than that for Cr3+/Cr2+.
ANSWER:
The large positive E0 values for Mn3+/Mn2+ shows that Mn2+ is much more
stable than Mn3+. This is due to fact that Mn2+ has the configuration 3d5 which
is half filled and hence is very stable. Thus the third ionisation energy of Mn
will be very high. In fact this is the reason that +3 state of Mn is of little
importance.
14. Sc3+ is colourless whereas Ti3+ is coloured in an aqueous solution. Give
reason.
ANSWER:
Sc3+ is colourless due to absence of unpaired electron in its ion (3d0 4s0) while
Ti3+ (3d1 4s0) is coloured due to d-d transition of unpaired electron in it.
15. Ce4+ is a strong oxidising agent. Give reason.
ANSWER:
Ce4+ is a strong oxidising agent because it tends to come in its stable oxidation
state of +3.
16. Give reasons:
(i) Transition metals and their compounds show catalytic activities.
(ii) Zn, Cd, and Hg are soft and have low melting point.
ANSWER:
(i)Transition metals and their compounds are used as catalyst because of
(a) Presence of incomplete (or) empty d orbitals.
(b) Variable oxidation state.
(c) Ability to form complex.
(ii) No unpaired electron is Zn, Cd, Hg, they are soft and have low melting
point.
17. Cr2+ is a strong reducing agent. Give reason.
ANSWER:
Cr2+ exist in the d4 system and is easily oxidised to Cr3+ by losing one electron
which has the stable d3 [t2g3] orbital configuration so Cr2+ is a strong reducing
agent.
18. Balance the Equation:
(i) 3Mn𝑂42− + 4H+ → ---------------- + ------------------- + H2O
(ii)Complete the reaction mentioning all the products formed.
∆
2KMnO4 →
(iii) Cr2𝑂72− + 3H2S + 8H→
ANSWER:
(i) 3Mn𝑂42− + 4H+ → 2Mn𝑂4− + MnO2 + 2H2O
∆
(ii) 2KMnO4 → K2MnO4 + MnO2 +O2.
(iii) Cr2𝑂72− + 3H2S + 8H+ → 2Cr3+ + 3S + 7H2O.
19. Use the data to answer the following and also justify giving reason:
Cr Mn Fe Co
° -0.91 -1.18 -0.44 -0.28
𝐸𝑀 2+/𝑀
° -0.41 +1.57 +0.77 -1.97
𝐸𝑀 3+/𝑀2+
(a) Which is a stronger reducing agent in aqueous medium, Cr 2+ or fe2+ and
why?
(b) Which is the most stable ion in +2 oxidation and why?
ANSWER:
(a)Cr2+ is a stronger reducing agent than Fe2+ because of its more negative
standard reduction potential and Cr 3+ (3d3) which has 𝑡23 g eg° configuration
which is a stable configuration.
(b) Manganese is the most stable ion in +2 oxidation state because of its most
negative standard reduction potential value and stable half- filled configuration
(d5).
20. Give reasons for the following:
(i) E° value for (Mn2+/Mn) is negative whereas for (Cu2+/Cu) is positive.
(ii) Actinoids show irregularities in their electronic configuration.
ANSWER:
(i) E° value for Mn2+/Mn is negative due to greater stability of half-filled d-
subshell (d5) in Mn2+ whereas E° value for Cu2+/Cu is positive due to its high
enthalpy of atomization and low enthalpy of hydration.
(ii) This happens because the energy difference between 5f, 6d, 7s subshells of
the actinoids is very small and hence electrons can be accommodated in any of
them.
21. Give reasons for the following:
(i) The transition metals generally form coloured compounds.
(ii) E° value for the (Mn3+/Mn2+) is highly positive than that for (Cr3+/Cr2+)
couple.
(iii) The chemistry of actinoids elements is not so smooth as that of the
lanthanoids.
ANSWER:
(i) Transition metals form coloured compounds because they have unpaired
electrons in the d-orbital.
(ii) The large positive E° value for Mn3+/Mn2+ shows that Mn2+is much more
stable than Mn+3 due to stable half-filled configuration (3d5). Therefore the 3rd
ionisation energy of Mn will be very high and Mn3+ is unstable and can be
easily reduced to Mn2+. E° value for Cr3+/Cr2+ is positive but small i.e. Cr3+ can
also be reduced to Cr2+ but less easily. Thus Cr3+ is more stable than Mn3+.
22. Identify the following:
(i) Transition metal of 3d series that exhibits the maximum number of
oxidation states.
(ii) An alloy consisting of approximately 95% lanthanoid metal used to produce
bullet, shell and lighter flint.
ANSWER:
(i) Manganese (Mn) exhibits the maximum number of oxidation states i.e.,
upto +7.
(ii) Misch metal.
23. Explain the following observations:
(i) Copper atom has completely filled d orbitals (3d10) in its ground state, yet it
is regarded as a transition element.
(ii) Cr2+ is a stronger reducing agent than Fe2+ in aqueous solutions.
ANSWER:
(i) 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).
(ii) 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+.
24.(a) Give reasons for the following:
(i) Compounds of transition elements are generally coloured.
 (ii) MnO is basic while Mn2O7 is acidic.
(b) Calculate the magnetic moment of a divalent ion in aqueous medium if
its atomic number is 26.
ANSWER:
(a) (i) The catalytic properties of the transition elements are due to the
presence of unpaired electrons in their incomplete d-orbitals and variable
oxidation states. The colour of transition metal ions is due to d-d transition.
When electrons jump from one orbital to another in their partially filled d-
orbitals, another light is emitted due to which the compounds of transition
elements seem to be coloured.
(ii) MnO is basic while Mn2O7 is acidic because the basic nature decreases as
the oxidation state or number of oxygen atoms increases i.e. MnO(+4) and
Mn2O7 (+7).
(b) Divalent ion with atomic number 26 is Fe2+
Fe2+ = [Ar] 3d6

𝜇 = √𝑛(𝑛 + 2) B.M ⟹ 𝜇 = √4(4 + 2) B.M ⟹ 𝜇 = 4.90 B.M

°
25. (a) (i) Which transition element in 3d series has positive 𝐸𝑀 2+/𝑀 value
and why?
(ii) Name a member of lanthanoid series which is well known to exhibit
+4 oxidation state and why?
(i) The highest oxidation state is exhibited in oxoanions of transition metals.
(ii) HCl is not used to acidify KMnO4 solution.
ANSWER:
°
(a) (i) Copper has positive 𝐸𝑀 2+/𝑀 value because the sum of enthalpies of

sublimation and ionization is not balanced by hydration enthalpy.

(ii) Cerium shows +4 oxidation state because it acquires stable empty orbital
configuration and therefore Ce+4 is also used as a good analytical reagent and
good oxidising agent.
(b) (i) The highest oxidation state shown in oxoanions of transition metals is
Cr2𝑂72− (Cr shows +6) and it is due to the ability of oxygen to form multiple
bonds with the metal atoms.
(ii) HCl is not used to the acidify KMnO4 solution because KMnO4 very strong
oxidising agent and it can oxidixe HCl to liberate chlorine gas.
26. Write the formula of an oxo-anion of Manganese (Mn) in which it shows
the oxidation state equal to its group number.
ANSWER:
Permanganate io, i.e., Mn𝑂4− with oxidation number +7.