TEST - 1

1. Silver atom has completely filled d orbitals (4d10) in its ground state. How can you say that it is a transition
element?
2. Which of the 3d series of the transition metals exhibits the largest number of oxidation states and why?
3. How would you account for the irregular variation of ionization enthalpies (first and second) in the first
series of the transition elements?
4. Calculate the ‘spin only’ magnetic moment of M2+(aq) ion (Z = 27).
5. Explain why Cu+ ion is not stable in aqueous solutions?
6. Actinoid contraction is greater from element to element than lanthanoid contraction. Why?
7. Why are Mn2+compounds more stable than Fe2+ towards oxidation to their +3 state?
8. What may be the stable oxidation state of the transition element with the following d electron
configurations in the ground state of their atoms : 3d3, 3d5, 3d8and 3d4?
9. Name the oxometal anions of the first series of the transition metals in which the metal exhibits the
oxidation state equal to its group number.
10. How would you account for the following:
(i) Of the d4species, Cr2+ is strongly reducing while manganese (III) is strongly oxidising.
(ii) Cobalt (II) is stable in aqueous solution but in the presence of complexing reagents it is easily
oxidised.
(iii) The d1 configuration is very unstable in ions.
11. What is meant by ‘disproportionation’? Give two examples of disproportionation reaction in aqueous
solution.
12. Predict which of the following will be coloured in aqueous solution? Ti3+, V3+, Cu+, Sc3+, Mn2+, Fe3+ and
Co2+. Give reasons for each.
13. Describe the oxidising action of potassium dichromate and write the ionic equations for its reaction with:
(i) iodide (ii) iron(II) solution and (iii) H2S
14. Describe the preparation of potassium dichromate from iron chromite ore. What is the effect of increasing
pH on a solution of potassium dichromate?
15. What is meant by ‘disproportionation’? Give two examples of disproportionation reaction in aqueous
solution.
16. Give examples and suggest reasons for the following features of the transition metal chemistry:
(i)The lowest oxide of transition metal is basic, the highest is amphoteric/acidic.
(ii)A transition metal exhibits highest oxidation state in oxides and fluorides.
(iii) The highest oxidation state is exhibited in oxoanions of a metal.
17. Compare the chemistry of the actinoids with that of lanthanoids with reference to:
(i) electronic configuration (ii) oxidation states (iii) chemical reactivity.
18. A violet compound of manganese (A) decomposes on heating to liberate oxygen and compounds (B) and
(C) of manganese are formed. Compound (C) reacts with KOH in the presence of potassium nitrate to give
compound (B). On heating compound (C) with conc. H2SO4 and NaCl, chlorine gas is liberated and a
compound (D) of manganese along with other products is formed. Identify compounds A to D and also
explain the reactions involved
19. A solution of KMnO4 on reduction yields either a colourless solution or a brown precipitate or a green
solution depending on pH of the solution. What different stages of the reduction do these represent and
how are they carried out?
20. How would you account for the following?
(i) Many of the transition elements are known to form interstitial compounds.
(ii) The metallic radii of the third (5d) series of transition metals are virtually the same as those of the
corresponding group members of the second (4d) series.
(iii) Lanthanoids form primarily +3 ions, while the actinoids usually have higher oxidation states in their
compounds, +4 or even +6 being typical.
21. 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.
22. What happens when
(i) Manganate ions (MnO42 ) undergoes disproportionation reaction in acidic medium?
(ii) Lanthanum is heated with Sulphur?
TEST- 2

1. What is lanthanoid contraction? What are the consequences of lanthanoid contraction?

2. What are the characteristics of the transition elements and why are they called transition elements? Which
of the d-block elements may not be regarded as the transition elements?
3. In the series Sc (Z = 21) to Zn (Z = 30), the enthalpy of atomization of zinc is the lowest, i.e., 126 kJ mol−1.
Why?
4. The Eθ(M2+/M) value for copper is positive (+0.34V). What is possibly the reason for this?
5. In what way is the electronic configuration of the transition elements different from that of the non-
transition elements?
6. Why is the highest oxidation state of a metal exhibited in its oxide or fluoride only?
7. Explain briefly how +2 state becomes more and more stable in the first half of the first row transition
elements with increasing atomic number?
8. Which is a stronger reducing agent Cr2+ or Fe2+ and why?
9. What are the different oxidation states exhibited by the lanthanoids?
10. Explain giving reasons:
(i) Transition metals and many of their compounds show paramagnetic behaviour.
(ii) The enthalpies of atomisation of the transition metals are high.
(iii) The transition metals generally form coloured compounds.
(iv) Transition metals and their many compounds act as good catalyst.
11. What are interstitial compounds? Why are such compounds well known for transition metals?
12. Describe the preparation of potassium permanganate. How does the acidified permanganate solution react
with (i) iron(II) ions (ii) SO2 and (iii) oxalic acid? Write the ionic equations for the reactions
13. For M2+/M and M3+/M2+ systems, the values for some metals are as follows:
Cr2+/Cr −0.9V, Cr3/Cr2+ −0.4 V, Mn2+/Mn −1.2V, Mn3+ /Mn2+ +1.5 V, Fe2+ /Fe −0.4V, Fe3+/Fe2+ +0.8 V
Use this data to comment upon:
(i) The stability of Fe3+ in acid solution as compared to that of Cr3+ or Mn3+ and
(ii) The ease with which iron can be oxidised as compared to a similar process for either chromium or
manganese metal.
14. What are alloys? Name an important alloy which contains some of the lanthanoid metals. Mention its uses.
15. What are inner transition elements?
16. When orange solution containing Cr2O7 2– ion is treated with an alkali, a yellow solution is formed and
when H+ ions are added to yellow solution, an orange solution is obtained. Explain why does this happen?
17. The chemistry of the actinoid elements is not so smooth as that of the Lanthanoids. Justify this statement
by giving some examples from the oxidation state of these elements.
18. What can be inferred from the magnetic moment values of the following complex species?
K4[Mn(CN)6] = 2.2, [Fe(H2O)6]2+ = 5.3, K2[MnCl4] = 5.9
19. Mention any three processes where transition metals act as catalysts.
20. When an oxide of manganese (A) is fused with KOH in the presence of an oxidising agent and dissolved in
water, it gives a dark green solution of compound (B). Compound (B) disproportionates in neutral or acidic
solution to give purple compound (C). An alkaline solution of compound (C) oxidises potassium iodide
solution to a compound (D) and compound (A) is also formed. Identify compounds A to D and also explain
the reactions involved.
21. Give reasons : (a) There is a gradual decrease in the size of atoms with increasing atomic number in the
series of lanthanoids.
(b) Sc (21) is a transition element but Ca (20) is not.
(c) The Fe2+ is much more easily oxidised to Fe2+ than Mn2+ to Mn3+.
22. (a) Give reasons for the following: (i) Compounds of transition elements are generally coloured.
(ii) MnO is basic while Mn2O7 is acidic.
(iii) Calculate the magnetic moment of a divalent ion in aqueous medium if its atomic number is 26.
23. Explain the following trends in the properties of the members of the First series of transition elements:
(i) Eo value for copper is positive(+0.34 V) in contrast to the other members of the series.
(ii) Cr2+ is reducing while Mn3+ is oxidising, though both have d4 configuration.
(iii) The oxidising power in the series increases in the order VO2 Cr2O72  MnO4 .
TEST - 3

1. Why does copper not replace hydrogen from acids?

2. Why E0 values for Mn, Ni and Zn are more negative than expected?
3. Why first ionisation enthalpy of Cr is lower than that of Zn ?
4. Transition elements show high melting points. Why?
5. When Cu2+ ion is treated with KI, a white precipitate is formed. Explain the reaction with the help of
chemical equation.
6. Out of Cu2Cl2 and CuCl2 , which is more stable and why?
7. When a brown compound of manganese (A) is treated with HCl it gives a gas (B). The gas taken in excess,
reacts with NH3 to give an explosive compound (C). Identify compounds A, B and C.
8. Although fluorine is more electronegative than oxygen, but the ability of oxygen to stabilise higher
oxidation states exceeds that of fluorine. Why?
9. Although Cr3+ and Co2+ ions have same number of unpaired electrons but the magnetic moment of Cr3+
is 3.87 B.M. and that of Co2+ is 4.87 B.M. Why?
10. Although Zr belongs to 4d and Hf belongs to 5d transition series but it is quite difficult to separate them.
Why?
11. Although +3 oxidation states is the characteristic oxidation state of lanthanoids but cerium shows +4
oxidation state also. Why?
12. Explain why does colour of KMnO4 disappear when oxalic acid is added to its solution in acidic medium.
46. 47. The second and third rows of transition elements resemble each other much more than they
resemble the first row. Explain why? 48. E V of Cu is + 0.34V while that of Zn is – 0.76V. Explain.
49. The halides of transition elements become more covalent with increasing oxidation state of the metal.
Why? 50. While filling up of electrons in the atomic orbitals, the 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbital
but reverse happens during the ionisation of the atom. Explain why?
13. Reactivity of transition elements decreases almost regularly from Sc to Cu. Explain.
14. When a chromite ore (A) is fused with sodium carbonate in free excess of air and the product is dissolved
in water, a yellow solution of compound (B) is obtained. After treatment of this yellow solution with
sulphuric acid, compound (C) can be crystallised from the solution. When compound (C) is treated with
KCl, orange crystals of compound (D) crystallise out. Identify A to D and also explain the reactions.
15. On the basis of Lanthanoid contraction, explain the following :
(i) Nature of bonding in La2O3 and Lu2O3 .
(ii) Trends in the stability of oxo salts of lanthanoids from La to Lu.
(iii) Stability of the complexes of lanthanoids.
(iv) Radii of 4d and 5d block elements.
(v) Trends in acidic character of lanthanoid oxides.
16. (a) Answer the following questions :
(i) Which element of the first transition series has highest second ionisation enthalpy?
(ii) Which element of the first transition series has highest third ionisation enthalpy?
(iii) Which element of the first transition series has lowest enthalpy of atomisation?
17. Mention the type of compounds formed when small atoms like H, C and N get trapped inside the crystal
lattice of transition metals. Also give physical and chemical characteristics of these compounds
18. Transition metals can act as catalysts because these can change their oxidation state. How does Fe(III)
catalyse the reaction between iodide and persulphate ions?
19. Give reasons : (i) Zirconium (Z = 40) and Hafnium (Z = 72) have almost similar atomic radii. (ii) d-block
elements exhibit more oxidation states than f-block elements. (iii) The enthalpies of atomization of the
transition metals are high. (iv) The variation in oxidation states of transition metals is of different type from
that of the non-transition metals. (v) Orange solution of potassium dichromate turns yellow on adding
sodium hydroxide to it.
20.