How would you account for the following: | Class 12 Chemistry Chapter The d-and f-Block Elements, The d-and f-Block Elements NCERT Solutions

Current NCERT chapter

Academic session 2026-27, Chapter 4 in the current curriculum.

Welcome to the NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Chemistry - Chapter The d-and f-Block Elements. This page offers a step-by-step solution to the specific question from Exercise 2, Question 21:

How would you account for the following:

(i) Of the d4 species, 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.

. With detailed answers and explanations for each chapter, students can strengthen their understanding and prepare confidently for exams. Ideal for CBSE and other board students, this resource will simplify your study experience.

Question 21:

How would you account for the following:

(i) Of the d4 species, 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.

Answer:

(i) Cr2+ is strongly reducing in nature. It has a d4 configuration. While acting as a reducing agent, it gets oxidized to Cr3+ (electronic configuration, d3). This d3 configuration can be written as t32g configuration, which is a more stable configuration. In the case of Mn3+(d4), it acts as an oxidizing agent and gets reduced to Mn2+(d5). This has an exactly half-filled d-orbital and is highly stable.

(ii) Co (II) is stable in aqueous solutions. However, in the presence of strong field complexing reagents, it is oxidized to Co (III). Although the 3rdionization energy for Co is high, but the higher amount of crystal field stabilization energy (CFSE) released in the presence of strong field ligands overcomes this ionization energy.

(iii) The ions in d1 configuration tend to lose one more electron to get into stable d0 configuration. Also, the hydration or lattice energy is more than sufficient to remove the only electron present in the d-orbital of these ions. Therefore, they act as reducing agents


Study Tips for Answering NCERT Questions:

NCERT questions are designed to test your understanding of the concepts and theories discussed in the chapter. Here are some tips to help you answer NCERT questions effectively:

  • Read the question carefully and focus on the core concept being asked.
  • Reference examples and data from the chapter when answering questions about The d-and f-Block Elements.
  • Review previous year question papers to get an idea of how such questions may be framed in exams.
  • Practice answering questions within the time limit to improve your speed and accuracy.
  • Discuss your answers with your teachers or peers to get feedback and improve your understanding.

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Welcome to the NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Chemistry - Chapter . This page offers a step-by-step solution to the specific question from Excercise 2 , Question 21: How would you account for the following: (i) Of the d4 species, Cr2+ is strongly reducing while m....

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