The d- and f- Block Elements Test - 3

The elements in which the valence electron enters in anti penultimate energy level i.e., (n - 2) fare known as f - block elements This name is because of the position of the valence electron is in the f - orbital. Since the last electron enters into (n - 2)f - orbital which is inner to the penultimate shell (For d-block elements), they are also called inner transition elements.

4d series arises from Y (4d¹ 5s²) to Cd (4d¹⁰ 5s²).

Inner transition metals of 5f series is known as Actinoids.

Cu, Ag, Au are known as coinage metals. The elements of Group 11 are being called the coinage metals.

Silver(Ag) belongs to second transition series.

The electronic configurations of Zn, Cd and Hg are represented by the general formula (n-1)d¹⁰ns². The orbitals in these elements are completely filled in the ground state as well as in their common oxidation states. Therefore, they are not regarded as transition elements.

Zn has lowest melting point because it does not have any unpaired electrons (3d¹⁰ 4s²) which are necessary to form an interatomic metallic bonding.

The high melting points of these metals are attributed to the involvement of greater number of electrons from (n-1)d  in addition to the ns electrons in the interatomic metallic bonding. W belongs to 5d series and it has lot of unpaired electrons (5d⁴6s²).

Hg has lowest melting point because it doesnot have any unpaired electrons and also it belongs to 5d series (5d¹⁰6s²).

Fe has d⁵ configuration in +3 oxidation state.