Explain the following terms : (a) Chemistry of all Lanthanoids is so identical . (b) Silver atom has completely filled d- orbitals (4d^(10)) in its ground state . How can you say that is a transition elements ?

Explain the following terms : (a) Chemistry of all Lanthanoids is so

1.	Explain the following terms : (a) Chemistry of all Lanthanoids is so identical . (b) Silver atom has completely filled d- orbitals (4d^(10)) in its ground state . How can you say that is a transition elements ?
Answer» Solution :(a) All the lanthanoids have similar outer electronic configuration and show +3 oxidation state in their compounds . Therefore , all the Lanthanoids have similar chemical properties . The different lanthanoids differ mainly in the number of 4f-electrons which are burried deep in the atoms and hence , do not influence the properties . Moreover , due tolanthanoidcontraction , there is very small difference in the size of all TRIVALENT lanthanoid ions . Thus the size of their ions is also almost identical which resultsin similar chemical properties . (B) According to definition , transition elements are those which have partially filled d-subshell in their elementary STATES or in their ONE of the oxidation states . Silver ( Z = 47) can exhibit +2 oxidation state in which it has incompletely filled d-subshells . Hence , silver is regarded as transition element .