Transition Metals

Electronic Configurations
 Vanadium, Chromium and
Manganese
Vanadium: Ar].3d3.4s2

Chromium : <Ar>3d5 4s1

Manganese: 1s22s22p63s23p63d54s2

You might think that chromium would have FOUR

electrons in the d orbitals and TWO in the 4s. But
by moving a 4s electron it can have a half filled d
shell and this is associated with an extrra measure
of stability.
 Nickel and Copper
Nickel: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d84s2

Copper:1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d94s2?

No! Copper is
Copper:1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d104s1 because of the
extra stability of a
Full shell
 Definition of a Transition
Element
An element that forms one or more stable IONS
Which have incompletely filled d orbitals
Zinc: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d104s2
Why is zinc not a transition element?
The only ion that zinc forms, Zn2+, has a full d
orbital
 Evidence for Electronic
Configuration from Successive
Ionisation Energies
N.B. The first electrons to be lost are always from
the 4s (although this fills up before the 3d and is
therefore at a ________ energy level)
 Evidence for Electronic Configuration
from Ionisation Energies
What is the electronic arrangement of the Cr+ ion?

< Ar>3d5 4s0

What is the electronic arrangement of the Mn+ ion?

Ar>3d5 4s1
So although manganese has one more proton in
its nucleus and therefore its second ionisation
energy might be expected to be _______ than
the second ionisation energy for chromium, this
is not the case.