Question
Why transition elements form a coloured ions?

Answer

→ Most of the ionic and covalent compounds of transition elements are coloured. It is due to the presence of incompletely filled d-orbitals.
→ When an electron from a lower energy d orbital is excited to a higher energy d orbital, the energy of excitation corresponds to the frequency of light absorbed.
→ This frequency generally lies in the visible region. The colour observed corresponds to the complementary colour of the light absorbed.
→ The frequency of the light absorbed is determined by the nature of the ligand.
→ In aqueous solutions where water molecules are the ligands, the colours of the ions observed are listed in Table.
ConfigurationExampleColour
$3 d^0$$Sc ^{3+}$colourless
$3 d^0$$Ti ^{4+}$colourless
$3 d^{\prime}$$Ti ^{3+}$purple
$3 d^{\prime}$$V ^{4+}$blue
$3 d^2$$V ^{3+}$green
$3 d^3$$V ^{2+}$violet
$3 d^3$$Cr ^{3+}$violet
$3 d^4$$Mn ^{3+}$violet
$3 d^4$$Cr ^{2+}$blue
$3 d^5$$Mn ^{2+}$pink
$3 d^5$$Fe ^{3+}$yellow
$3 d^6$$Fe ^{2+}$green
$3 d^6 3 d^7$$Co ^{3+} Co ^{2+}$bluepink
$3 d^8$$Ni ^{2+}$green
$3 d^9$$Cu ^{2+}$blue
$3 d^{10}$$Zn ^{2+}$colourless

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